Other conditions Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining updated medical records and confirming any chemical exposure during service. The Veteran's non-Hodgkin's lymphoma will be evaluated in light of all available evidence.

The appellant is not eligible for VA DIC benefits due to her remarriage after the age of 57, which bars her eligibility as a surviving spouse.

The Veteran's irrevocable election for Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits in lieu of Montgomery GI Bill (Chapter 30) benefits is upheld, and he has no legal entitlement to additional VA educational assistance beyond the one month and 18 days already transferred under the Post-9/11 GI Bill program.

The Board has remanded the case due to a missing CD of a 911 call from a nurse at the VA medical center in Des Moines, Iowa to the 911 call center in Columbus, Nebraska on behalf of the Veteran prior to his admission to the Columbus Community Hospital.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and medical opinions regarding the Veteran's left hip disorder.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of an ingrown corn, right little toe are rated at 10 percent and the Board finds no basis for a higher rating.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the claim for service connection for a dysthemic disorder, to include obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing an opinion on whether his non-Hodgkin's lymphoma caused or aggravated dementia.

The Board has granted service connection for a skin disorder, to include of the face and head, based on presumed exposure to herbicides during service in Vietnam.

The Veteran's tibia stress fractures have been rated at 30 percent since April 12, 2012. The VA has granted higher ratings for both his left and right proximal tibia stress fractures.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee patellofemoral syndrome causes painful and limited motion, but does not result in ankylosis; recurrent subluxation or moderate lateral instability; dislocated semilunar cartilage with frequent episodes of pain, locking, and effusion into the joint; flexion limited to 60 degrees or less; extension limited to 5 degrees or greater; impairment of the tibia and fibula. The criteria for entitlement to a disability rating in excess of 10 percent have not been met.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Board found that the Veteran's current DVT and its residuals are not service-connected, as there was no evidence of a disease or injury during service, and symptoms were not continuous since separation. The Board also determined that the DVT is not causally related to the service-connected residuals of left buttock pilonidal cyst removal.

The Board has determined that the overpayment of education benefits is valid and that recovery would not be against equity and good conscience. The Veteran's partial fault in creating this debt, combined with VA's notification delay, led to the creation of the overpayment.

The Board found that the Veteran's right little finger disability did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating based on arthritis or other joint impairment, as there was no evidence of multiple involvements of interphalangeal, metacarpal and carpal joints or amputation. The claim for an increased rating is denied.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn due to his request for withdrawal prior to the Board's decision.

The Veteran's death was not caused by any service-connected disability, and the Board finds that his cardiac arrest, severe gastrointestinal bleeding, and duodenal ulcer were not related to his service or service-connected conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's petition for waiver of overpayment of VA pension benefits, finding that recovery would not be against equity and good conscience due to the Veteran's fault in creating the debt.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for reimbursement under the provisions of Chapter 35, Title 38, United States Code, Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA), for tuition costs incurred for a Certified Nurse Assistant Program due to lack of approval by VA's State approving authority.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for a medical nexus opinion on whether the Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma of the floor of the mouth is causally related to service exposure to Agent Orange. The Veteran served in Vietnam and is presumed to have been exposed to Agent Orange.