Other conditions Board decisions

The Veteran's symptoms of numbness and poor circulation in the left arm and hand are considered part of his already service-connected residuals of fracture of the distal left radius, with disruption of the distal radial ulnar joint and un-united fracture of the left lower ulnar. Therefore, he is not entitled to separate service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and updated treatment records, as well as consideration of his claim for TDIU.

The Board has granted a separate 10 percent rating for instability of the right knee and confirmed the current 10 percent rating for arthritis, but denied any additional ratings based on scars or other conditions.

The Veteran withdrew his claim for specially adapted housing, and the Board has dismissed the appeal.

The Board has determined that the appellant's request for waiver of recovery of an overpayment of VA death pension benefits in the amount of $3,743 was timely filed. The appeal is granted on this basis.

The Veteran's hair loss condition is not service-connected as it does not have a direct link to his military service. The VA examiner concluded that the current androgenetic alopecia is not caused by or related to the hair loss documented in service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claim of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death. The appellant contends that exposure to Agent Orange, radiation, or Meniere's disease caused his glioblastoma multiforma and pulmonary emboli.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's colon cancer was incurred during service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board finds that the appellant's marriage to the Veteran is invalid due to a legal impediment, and thus she may not be recognized as his surviving spouse for VA benefits.

The Board denied the appellant's claims of entitlement to VA DIC benefits and basic eligibility for accrued benefits as he did not meet the criteria for being a child of the Veteran under VA regulations.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to missing VA treatment records. The AOJ will obtain these records and attempt to reconstruct the remainder of the record.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records, including a missing copy of the Veteran's military personnel file and an illegible Department of the Army Discharge Review Board Case Report. The claim will be reconsidered after these records are obtained.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Unity Hospital on December 4, 2011 due to lack of prior authorization and failure to meet eligibility criteria under VA regulations.

The Veteran's claim for educational assistance benefits is denied as his eligibility ended on November 13, 1985 and any remaining entitlement would have required qualifying service or conversion to Chapter 30 benefits.

The Veteran's application for payment or reimbursement of private medical expenses incurred on January 9, 2012 was timely filed. The claim is being remanded to the Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ) for a merits adjudication.

The Board has determined that the Veteran, who died in 1984, is not eligible for a Government-furnished headstone or grave marker due to his death occurring before the effective date of the law allowing such benefits.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling a VA orthopedic examination and obtaining additional medical records. The Veteran's claim of entitlement to an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for residuals of a right distal ulna fracture will be reconsidered.

The Board found that the Veteran's current diverticulitis is not related to her in-service stomach cramps and constipation, and thus denied her claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral varicose veins of the lower extremities do not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, as his overall combined disability rating is 20 percent and he does not meet the criteria for a TDIU on a schedular basis. The VA examiner found that the Veteran's varicose veins impacted his ability to work, but the SSA determined that the impairment caused by nonservice-connected back disorder precluded full-time competitive work at any exertional level.

The Veteran's current gastrointestinal disorders were not caused by any in-service event and are not related to active service. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that his current gastrointestinal disorders are proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities, including medications taken for these disabilities.