Other conditions Board decisions

The Board's April 2019 decision is vacated due to a failure to consider the Veteran’s vaginal and uterine disability on a secondary basis. The case is remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's left eye disability and dysphagia are not deemed to be service-connected due to lack of causation or proximate cause, as the Board found no evidence that VA care caused these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for lung cancer on a presumptive basis due to exposure to herbicide agents while serving in the territorial waters of Vietnam.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for gastric ulcer were denied as the symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has remanded the claims for right foot disability, acquired psychiatric disability, special monthly compensation based on housebound status or need for aid and attendance, squamous cell carcinoma of the mouth, and liver cancer. The claims are being remanded to obtain an addendum opinion addressing the appellant's lay testimony regarding the recurrence of callus formation in the Veteran's right foot over time.

The Board has remanded the case due to conflicting medical opinions regarding the cause of death and the nature of the Veteran's liver cancers. The appellant is requested to provide private treatment records, and a VA clinician will be asked to provide an opinion on whether the diagnosed conditions are related to service or exposure to herbicide agents.

The Veteran's appeal for a pulmonary disability was dismissed due to the death of the appellant, and no jurisdiction remains as the Board cannot adjudicate the merits of an appeal after the appellant's death.

The Veteran is seeking compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for additional disability from various abdominal surgeries and procedures. The claim was remanded due to the need for an independent medical opinion, as substantial compliance with the January 2020 remand has not been achieved.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's hepatic steatosis/fatty liver, including whether it is related to service or aggravated by his diabetes mellitus type II.

The claim to reopen service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death was granted. The claim for service connection itself was denied as there is no evidence linking the Veteran’s death to a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's left ring finger is manifested by pain, weakness, and limitation of motion. The Board denied a compensable rating for the service-connected left ring finger DJD.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete development and requests for additional records. An expert medical opinion from an immunologist is needed to address specific concerns raised by the Veteran's history of high-risk sexual activity during service.

The Veteran's neurogenic bladder was rated at 40% prior to September 25, 2015 and at 60% from September 23, 2011 to September 24, 2015. The claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of ASHD is denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the Veteran’s left upper eyelid resection residuals and exposure keratoconjunctivitis of the left eye did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left arm conditions, finding that there is no evidence to support a relationship between these conditions and her service-connected cervical spine condition or thoracic/lumbar strain with degenerative arthritis.

The Veteran's cause of death was respiratory failure, with CAD as a significant contributing factor. The Board found that his CAD is presumptively related to herbicide agent exposure during service and granted service connection for the cause of death.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a blood pressure condition as secondary to his service-connected ischemic heart disease, finding that it is less likely than not due to or aggravated by his service-connected condition.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to new evidence received after a November 2017 statement of the case and before the December 2018 denial. The Veteran's claim for TDIU is now on appeal for the period prior to March 14, 2017.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a nasal disability and respiratory disability, including asthma with history of pneumonia, are denied. The Board found no evidence of such disabilities in service or due to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his right little finger disability was denied. The Board also found that the issue of entitlement to service connection for a right ring finger disability was inextricably intertwined with the claim for a higher rating for the service-connected right little finger disability.,The Veteran’s separate compensable rating and TDIU claims remain on appeal.