Other conditions Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate rationale in assessing functional limitations due to flare-ups, and the need for an adequate retrospective assessment of the severity of the Veteran's ulcerative colitis during flare-ups prior to September 26, 2015.

The Board has determined that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's cardiac disability, including idiopathic cardiomyopathy, atrial flutter, slow AV nodal re-entry, and supraventricular tachycardia, was caused by his service-connected diabetes mellitus. Therefore, service connection for this condition as secondary to diabetes mellitus is granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues related to unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Doctor Medical Center from March 8, 2009, to March 9, 2009. The VA needs to reconstruct the Veteran's file and obtain relevant records for a determination on whether any of the services were rendered within a medical emergency context.

The Board has denied the appellant's claims for service connection due to a discharge from service under other than honorable conditions, finding that his misconduct was willful and persistent. The Board also found that his initial four days of honorable service were not relevant to the underlying issues.

The Veteran's service-connected varicose veins of the bilateral lower extremities have not been manifested by persistent edema, stasis pigmentation, eczema, or ulceration. As a result, his claims for increased ratings are denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 20 percent for his right shoulder bicipital tendon tear and labral tear, finding that there is no evidence of limitation of motion to a position midway between the side and shoulder level.

The Board is unsure if the Veteran served 'in-country' during his active duty service and needs further information to determine this. The case will be returned for review.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development and requires an additional VA examiner's opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's left eye visual disorder.

The Veteran's left lower extremity amputation is granted under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 due to carelessness and error in judgment on the part of VA.

The Board found that the overpayment debt for additional compensation benefits was properly created due to the Veteran's failure to promptly notify VA of her divorce from J.W.A., resulting in an overpayment. The appeal as to the propriety of the creation of the debt is denied.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his left eye disability is remanded due to the need for clarification regarding the specific type of visual field defect he has.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for eye disability, claimed as vision loss, is denied. The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current eye disability for VA purposes and has not had one at any time during the pendency of the claim or recent to the filing of the claim.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including scheduling a new examination to assess the severity of his service-connected left homonymous hemianopsia and completing any outstanding requests for private treatment records. The TDIU rating claim will also be adjudicated.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete information and further development is needed, including obtaining SSA records related to the appellant's receipt of disability benefits under Title II of Social Security Act.

The Veteran's service-connected hairy cell leukemia is in remission, and there is no evidence of active disease. The Board finds that a compensable rating is not warranted as the condition does not meet the criteria for anemia or aplastic anemia requiring continuous medication.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection for atrial fibrillation due to incomplete development of his Reserve and National Guard service records. The AOJ must make reasonable efforts to obtain these records, specifically focusing on whether the Veteran was in a period of Active Duty Training (ACDUTRA) or Inactive Duty Training (INACDUTRA) during October 2010 when he was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's respiratory disability and its connection to his service, including exposure to burn pits. The Veteran will be given an opportunity to provide additional statements about functional impairment caused by his symptoms.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient response from the VA examiner regarding whether the Veteran's pre-existing stomach disability worsened during service.

The Veteran's claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 and TDIU are being remanded due to concerns about the competency of the medical examiner who performed his cervical spine surgery in November 2004.

The Veteran's appeal for payment or reimbursement of medical services received at Lakeside Medical Center has been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran. The Board does not have jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal as a result.