Other conditions Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional medical opinion regarding the Veteran's lumbar spine disability prior to January 22, 2021.

The Veteran's cognitive disorder, NOS (Post-concussion syndrome) is rated at 50 percent effective as of the date of decision.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of an injury to the upper lip and remanded the claim of compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for residuals of a June 2012 left hip surgery.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a back strain, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his current condition and an in-service injury. The preponderance of the evidence supports the conclusion that the Veteran's back strain did not begin during active duty.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there was no evidence linking his arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease to service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right hand injuries, including his thumb, index, long, and ring fingers, do not meet or approximate the criteria for a compensable rating on an extraschedular basis.

The Board denied service connection for prostatic hyperplasia, finding that the evidence did not support a link to active service or presumed herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for a stomach disability, to include as due to PTSD, due to inadequate VA examinations and the need for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate compliance with previous remand directives regarding a VA examination for the Veteran's right knee disability. The Veteran is required to undergo another VA examination to assess his range of motion during flares and repetitive use.

The Veteran's claim for a rating greater than 20 percent for left peroneal nerve palsy was denied, and his TDIU claim was also denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support an increase in disability rating or entitlement to TDIU based on service-connected conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for heartburn, hiatal hernia, and IBS (constipation, diarrhea, abdominal cramping) as they are not shown to be related to his military service or any service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for penile papules is remanded due to the VA examiner not complying with the Board's May 2019 remand directives.

The Veteran's former spouse, L.K., was granted an effective date of November 18, 2009 for dependency benefits. The decision is based on the Veteran providing sufficient information regarding his marriage to L.K. in November 2009 and not requesting her Social Security Number as required by VA regulations.

The Board denied an extraschedular rating for the Veteran's service-connected hypopituitarism prior to December 22, 2018. From December 22, 2018, the issue of entitlement to a higher initial rating for hypopituitarism on an extraschedular basis was dismissed as moot due to the award of TDIU.

The Veteran's left and right hip disabilities have been rated based on their severity, but the current ratings do not meet the criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration. The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for vocal cord damage is denied due to lack of evidence showing negligence or fault on VA’s part. For service connection, a new medical opinion is needed to determine if the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability is at least as likely as not related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for left hand arthritis, including residuals of a shell fragment wound, has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion and further development is needed before a decision can be made on the service connection claim for an inguinal hernia.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a left leg condition has been reopened. The case is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the bilateral foot condition. Service connection will be reviewed on the merits.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's horseshoe tears of the bilateral retinas need further investigation and opinion to determine if they are related to herbicide agent exposure or service-connected diabetes mellitus.