Other conditions Board decisions

The Board has determined that the matter is not ripe for appellate review due to procedural deficiencies. The claim will be returned to the RO for further action, including ensuring compliance with simultaneous contested claims procedures and scheduling a hearing.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a neuromuscular disability of the lower extremities, other than radiculopathy and sciatica. The Board found that the Veteran's symptoms are caused by bilateral sciatica due to his lumbar spine, which is already service-connected.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current otitis is related to service, and thus grants service connection for chronic otitis.

The Board denied service connection for a dental disability to include loss of teeth, finding that the Veteran's tooth loss was due to poor oral hygiene and restorable with dentures. The decision is based on the lack of evidence linking the condition to trauma or disease such as osteomyelitis.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic myeloid leukemia, attributing it to a lack of evidence showing a causal relationship between his in-service Agent Orange exposure and his current condition. The Board found that CML is not included among the presumptive conditions associated with herbicide exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a pulmonary disability, finding that it did not manifest in service and is not attributable to service. The COPD diagnosed as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was not incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board has ordered the Regional Office to perform additional development to determine the correct amount of overpayment due to concurrent receipt of active service drill pay for Fiscal Year (FY) 2015, based on actual dates of attendance at drills or training.

The Board has remanded the case due to missing VA medical records from December 2019 to the present. The Veteran's advocate requested these records as they may be relevant to his SMC and housebound benefits claim.

The Veteran's chronic urticaria, a condition that requires third line treatment for control due to ineffectiveness with first and second line treatments, has been granted an initial 60 percent rating.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeal regarding whether he filed a timely Notice of Disagreement on February 21, 2018 to the March 1980 rating decision. The issues of entitlement to an increased rating for GSW residuals and TDIU are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinion.

The Board has remanded two issues related to service connection for left arm numbness and paresthesias of the trunk due to outstanding VA treatment records from 2010 onwards not being reviewed.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for colon and rectal cancer, finding that his condition is not related to his military service or exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for a neck disability and service connection for multiple nerve disabilities as there was no appeal submitted by the Veteran.

The Veteran's upper respiratory infection is currently rated at 30 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,Prior to June 30, 2020, the service-connected eosinophilic gastritis was rated at 40 percent. Since then, it has been rated at 60 percent.

The Veteran died from a non-service-connected cause and was not buried in a national cemetery, so the claim for burial benefits in excess of $300.00 is denied.

The Veteran died from atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and cerebrovascular accident, but the claim for nonservice-connected burial benefits was denied as he did not meet the eligibility criteria.

The Veteran's esophagus cancer is remanded for a VA examination to evaluate the likely etiology of the condition, given his in-service exposure to herbicides.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 50 percent for his service-connected panic disorder and for TDIU due to conflicting medical evidence regarding the severity of his condition.

The Board has granted service connection for groin pain but has remanded the issue of service connection for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), claimed as constipation.

The Veteran's total blindness in his right eye was reasonably foreseeable and not due to carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill or error in judgement on the part of VA. Therefore, compensation pursuant to 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for total blindness in the right eye is denied.