Other conditions Board decisions

The Veteran died from cardiorespiratory arrest due to acute coronary insufficiency. The Board found no evidence of a service-connected condition that caused or contributed to the death, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death.

The Board finds that the appellant was married to the Veteran for at least one year prior to his death and thus qualifies as the surviving spouse, allowing her to be recognized as such for VA benefits.

The Board has determined that the appellant's claim for service connection of her husband's cause of death is not properly developed and requires additional information or evidence before a decision can be made.

The Veteran's cause of death was not service-connected, and his disability rating did not meet the criteria for DIC under section 1318.

The Board has reopened the claim for VA death benefits as the Veteran's surviving spouse due to new evidence received since the last final rating decision. The Appellant is now recognized as the Veteran's surviving spouse for VA purposes and eligible to receive Department of VA death benefits.

The Veteran seeks recognition of his son, A.J.S., as a helpless child for VA benefits due to permanent incapacity for self-support before reaching the age of 18 years. The case is remanded to obtain additional medical evidence and determine if A.J.S. was permanently incapable of self-support at age 18.

The Board found that the Appellant's income exceeded the maximum annual pension rate and is therefore a bar to receiving nonservice-connected death pension benefits.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to an outstanding hearing request. The case will be scheduled for a video-conference hearing.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new examination to assess his service-connected adjustment disorder, as his symptoms may have worsened since the last examination.

The Board has granted an initial rating of 10 percent for steatosis from May 17, 2010 to the present.

The Veteran's left foot hallux valgus is characterized by pain, difficulty walking, and hallux valgus deformity but has not resulted in surgery or functional loss equivalent to amputation of the great toe. The criteria for a compensable evaluation have not been met.

The Board found that the Veteran's retinal detachment was not caused or aggravated by his service-connected malaria, and thus denied the claim for secondary service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development to obtain relevant medical records and Social Security Administration (SSA) records. The appellant's claim will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred from September 24, 2011 to September 28, 2011 were not authorized by VA and he is ineligible for reimbursement under the provisions of 38 U.S.C.A. § 1725 due to his coverage under a health-plan contract.

The Veteran has withdrawn all issues currently on appeal to the Board, including the claims for an initial compensable rating for status post right hip contusion and service connection for dry eye syndrome.

The Veteran's initial claim for higher ratings for epicondylitis of the right elbow was granted, with a rating of 20 percent effective February 7, 2008.

The Board denied the appellant's appeal because her substantive appeal was not filed within 60 days of receiving the SOC, and thus did not meet the legal requirement for a timely appeal.

The Board granted an apportionment of the Veteran's VA disability compensation benefits in the amount of $550 per month, effective April 1, 2010. The decision found that this level of apportionment did not cause undue hardship on the Veteran.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals regarding income limitations for VA pension purposes and entitlement to SMP based on the need for regular A&A or on housebound status. The Board has dismissed these matters as a result.

The Board has determined that the appellant's substantive appeal was untimely and dismissed her claim of entitlement to service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.