Other conditions Board decisions

The Board dismissed the appeal for death pension benefits as the appellant died during the pendency of the appeal and has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for an updated VA medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's exposure to burn pits in Iraq could have caused his cause of death.

The Veteran's maxilla fracture with bone graft and prosthetic bridge disability was initially rated at 40 percent prior to January 3, 2020. From that date, the rating was increased to 50 percent.

The Board has denied service connection for residuals of splenectomy and abdominal surgical scar status post splenectomy, finding that the underlying condition (hereditary spherocytosis) clearly and unmistakably existed prior to active service and was not aggravated by service.

The Board found that the appellant's discharge from service was dishonorable due to a prolonged period of absence without official leave (AWOL), and thus his character of discharge is a bar to VA benefits.

The Board found that the Veteran was entitled to military drill pay for FY 2015 and therefore denied the overpayment of VA disability compensation.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's periods of service and a need for a new medical opinion on the etiology of his urethra tumor.

The Veteran's bilateral hip disorders have been granted initial ratings of 40 percent for limited right and left hip flexion, effective November 24, 2014. The RO also granted a 30 percent rating for right knee instability and left knee instability since February 24, 2017.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for the cause of death and burial benefits due to incomplete records and a need for a medical opinion regarding possible in-service HIV symptomatology.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination addressing whether the Veteran's respiratory condition, including chronic cough, is related to his service-connected non-Hodgkin's lymphoma treatment with Ritaxan and whether it was aggravated by that treatment. The examiner must also address whether the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam may have caused or contributed to his respiratory condition.

The Veteran's liver cancer and balance issues/dizziness were not found to be related to service, including exposure to ionizing radiation. The Board denied the claims for service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of documentation regarding the Veteran's receipt of notification letters about his overpayment. The Veteran did not receive proper notice and may have missed the 180-day time limit for requesting a waiver.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings of her right knee conditions have been denied. Her right knee instability is rated at the maximum schedular rating, and her arthritis with limited motion is also rated at its maximum.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right and left hip disabilities, including his total hip replacements, may have been caused by service-connected back, right ankle, and/or left knee disabilities. The claims are being remanded for further examination to clarify these issues.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. 1151 for plugged right subclavian vein with stents was denied as there is no evidence of negligence or malpractice in the treatment provided to the Veteran by the Minneapolis VAMC.

The Veteran's impairment of the seventh cranial nerve damage condition has been rated at 20 percent since January 29, 2010. The Board found that his condition more nearly approximates severe incomplete paralysis and denied a rating in excess of 20 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's solitary bone plasmacytoma, finding that his exposure to contaminants during service on Adak Island in Alaska is causally related to his condition.

The Board has remanded the cases due to issues with contested claim procedures and additional development is required.

The Board has remanded the claims for left and right lower leg varicose veins due to a lack of substantial compliance with previous Board directives regarding the November 1957 rating decision. The case is returned to the RO for clarification on what evidence was relied upon in denying service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of an examination for the Veteran's sinus cancer and residuals, as well as his exposure to contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune.