Other conditions Board decisions

The Veteran's death was caused by a subdural hemorrhage due to a fall, which is at least as likely as not related to his service-connected bilateral defective hearing. Therefore, the cause of the Veteran's death is considered service connected.

The Veteran's right lateral epicondylitis and right rotator cuff tendonitis are found to be related to his active duty service, thus granting service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to inconsistencies in the appellant's service records and need for clarification regarding his character of discharge.

The appeal is being remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the financial status of both the appellant and the Veteran. The appellant needs to provide documentation showing that she has not received child support payments, while the Veteran should submit any records of child support payments made.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his left and right thumb conditions, as well as his attempt to reopen a previously denied claim for service connection for arthritis of multiple joints. The evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination. The Veteran's claims of service connection for hip disorders and scoliosis are pending.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for a skin condition, specifically cellulitis of the lower extremities. The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and likely etiology of any current skin condition and residual disabilities due to an in-service injury.

The Veteran's appeal of the issue of entitlement to service connection for degenerative joint disease and strain of both hips was dismissed due to his withdrawal prior to a decision being made.

The Board determined that the appellant inappropriately received death pension for the periods from May 1, 2009 to May 1, 2010, and from May 1, 2009 to May 1, 2010, resulting in an overpayment of $15,864. The termination was proper.

The Veteran and his spouse claim that they timely filed a request for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred on June 9, 2010. The AOJ denied the claim based on a determination that the claim was not filed within 90 days of the date of service for which payment/reimbursement is claimed. The Veteran and his spouse insist that they mailed letters to the VAMC Fee Basis Unit at West Palm Beach VAMC on July 5, 2010, and on July 15, 2010, enclosing the relevant medical bills. The AOJ should verify if these letters were received by the VA facilities.

The appeal is being remanded to the agency of original jurisdiction (AOJ) for scheduling a Travel Board hearing.

The Board found that the Veteran's right little finger disability does not meet or approximate the criteria for a compensable evaluation under the applicable rating criteria. The Veteran was granted service connection, but no higher rating is warranted.

The Board found that the Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma of the right tonsil did not manifest in active service and is not otherwise etiologically related to his active service, including exposure to herbicides such as Agent Orange during his service in Vietnam. Therefore, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for pulmonary fibrosis and a skin disability due to insufficient evidence in the record. The appellant is requested to provide additional medical opinions regarding whether these conditions are related to service, including presumed exposure to herbicide agents.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for a new hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at his local Regional Office.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Veteran received prior authorization from VA to receive treatment at a non-VA hospital, SFMC, on February 1, 2011 for chest and shoulder pain. The Board finds that the Veteran's claim is granted as he received prior authorization.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence linking the Veteran's current prostatitis to his service, including exposure to Agent Orange or diabetes mellitus. The claim for service connection is therefore denied.

The Veteran's appeal for special monthly compensation (SMC) under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1114(k) for loss of use of the right upper extremity has been dismissed as moot due to the grant of SMC in a previous rating decision.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for educational assistance benefits under Chapter 30, Title 38, United States Code, as her application was received after one year from when she began enrollment at Kaplan University.