Other conditions Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected status post left 4th metacarpal fracture has not resulted in ankylosis or amputation, and thus a compensable disability rating is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical opinions regarding the Veteran's hip pain and its relation to his service-connected Lyme disease. The Veteran needs further examination to determine if he has a current right hip condition, whether it is caused by or aggravated by his service-connected Lyme disease.

The Board is remanding the case for an addendum VA examination to address whether any diagnosed left hip disorder was caused or aggravated by the service-connected right hip and/or lumbar spine disabilities.

The Board denied payment or reimbursement for unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Baylor University Medical Center from February 27, 2013 to March 4, 2013 due to the availability of a VA facility that was feasibly available and an attempt to use it beforehand would have been considered reasonable by a prudent layperson.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for otalgia, finding that there was no evidence linking the condition to her military service or any undiagnosed illness. The Board also found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for presumptive service connection under the provisions of the Persian Gulf Veterans' Act.

The Board has remanded the case due to concerns about the competency of a VA examiner who provided opinions on the relationship between the Veteran's lower jaw disability and his stomach and colon disabilities. The Veteran is requesting additional information regarding this examiner's qualifications.

The Veteran's claims for ratings in excess of 10 and 20 percent for fractured vertebral body at L4-L5 prior to May 24, 2011 were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on functional loss due to pain or stiffness.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's status-post right inguinal herniorrhaphy with right testalgia with non-descending testicle, finding that his condition did not meet criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to an issue of clear and unmistakable error (CUE) in a prior rating decision. The AOJ should determine if there is CUE in the January 2010 rating decision regarding the Veteran's residuals of SFW of the right thigh and hip area with retained foreign bodies and involvement of Muscle Groups XV and XVII.

The Veteran's wife was awarded a full dollar rate for DIC benefits effective August 1, 2011. The Board found that the requirements for this award were met one year prior to her application.

The Board denied the appellant's request for an extension of her delimiting period for DEA benefits, finding that she did not meet the one-year requirement from October 2007 and that her mental disability prevented her from initiating or enrolling in a chosen program of education.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for herpes simplex (previously rated as seborrhea) has been dismissed because he withdrew his claim.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal of the annual clothing allowance for 2015, and the Board dismissed the appeal.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical opinions and inextricably intertwined issues. The claims for service connection, cause of death, and special monthly compensation are being addressed.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative joint disease, L4-5 status post-laminectomy, finding that the Veteran's current disability is related to in-service back injuries and complaints of low back pain. The decision resolves reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the case for readjudication of the initial compensable rating for residuals of stress fracture, left tibia under the new rating criteria. The service connection claim for chronic urinary tract infections remains denied.

The Veteran's hip disabilities, as residuals of a pelvic fracture, are currently rated at 10 percent each for limitation of flexion. The Board found no evidence warranting higher ratings based on the current Diagnostic Codes.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an eye disability other than cataracts and/or pseudophakia, to include allergic conjunctivitis, was granted. The claims for service connection for a colon disability and right eye cataract were remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination, and a new examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's current left foot and toenail disabilities are related to service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the issue of entitlement to a TDIU prior to October 13, 2007 on an extraschedular basis. The Board dismissed this issue as it was withdrawn by the appellant.