Other conditions Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's hypertensive cardiovascular disease was caused by his service, including presumed exposure to herbicide agents. The examiner is asked to specifically consider a National Academy of Sciences report that moved hypertension from a 'limited or suggestive' category to a 'sufficient' category.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of a scrotal disorder, including hernia and hydrocele, has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's request for additional VR&E benefits to complete a medical degree was denied as his circumstances had not changed and rehabilitation would be more likely if the long-range goal remained unchanged.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claim for service connection of a left hand disorder and has remanded two other claims: right hand disorder secondary to shoulder strain, and left hip disorder secondary to knee tendonitis and/or lumbar strain.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for cataracts, finding that there is no causal relationship between his active duty service and his current condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for a VA medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's hypopharynx cancer and his presumed herbicide exposure during service.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than April 9, 2012 for a 60 percent rating for service-connected gout is denied. The Board found that there was no factual basis to grant an earlier effective date.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and adjudication due to a misapplication of regulations regarding unreimbursed medical expenses in reducing the Veteran's countable income.

The Veteran's death in January 2011 was found to be at least as likely as not related to his in-service exposure to herbicide agents, specifically the primary ingredient of Agent Orange. The esophageal cancer that led to his death is considered a service-connected condition due to this exposure.

The Veteran's bilateral seventh cranial nerve neuralgia of the mandible and TMJ dysfunction have been rated at 20 percent and 10 percent, respectively. The Board found that these ratings are appropriate given the current manifestations of the conditions.

The Board denied service connection for a skin disorder, finding that the Veteran's current skin condition is not related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected hand injuries have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to December 17, 2012. The Board granted TDIU on an extraschedular basis effective July 31, 2003.

The Veteran's claim for compensation was denied as he is not entitled to a compensation payment for June 2014 due to the effective date of his award being July 1, 2014.

The Board denied service connection for a right hip disorder, finding that the Veteran's current condition is not related to his military service.

The Board denied the Appellant's claim for accrued benefits as untimely and failed to submit new and material evidence, thus denying her request for additional funds.

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to provide proper VCAA notice and readjudication. The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of medical services received at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Youngstown, Ohio is being returned to the VAMC for further action.

The Board denied service connection for right and left hand muscle cramps, finding no evidence of a chronic condition in service or post-service continuity of symptoms.

The Veteran's appeal for TDIU was dismissed due to the death of the appellant, and no jurisdiction remains as a result.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a blood disorder, including leukemia, leukopenia, and myelodysplastic syndrome, finding no evidence of such disorders during or within one year after service. The Board also found no evidence linking these conditions to active service, including exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board has determined that a medical opinion is needed to determine whether the Veteran's cause of death (liver cancer) could be service connected, specifically due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam. The appellant contends that the Veteran was exposed to herbicides during his service and this exposure contributed to his liver cancer.