Other conditions Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected patellofemoral syndrome and right knee degenerative joint disease do not warrant evaluations in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a skin rash or colon cancer that is related to his military service, including presumed exposure to herbicides. The claims are therefore denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for large-cell lymphoma, which was previously denied in 2005 due to lack of exposure to herbicides, has been reopened and granted based on presumed exposure to herbicides during his service along the DMZ in Korea.

The Veteran's death occurred prior to the eligibility criteria for a government-furnished headstone or grave marker, and thus the claim is denied.

The Board has found that the appellant's net worth, after her admission to a nursing facility in July 2012, was not excessive and did not preclude payment of VA improved death pension benefits. The case is remanded for further action regarding the period prior to July 2012.

The Board found that the Veteran's overpayment of VA educational assistance benefits was valid based on investigations conducted by the Manila RO and the VA Office of Inspector General (OIG).

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary by the AOJ prior to adjudication of the TDIU claim due to functional impairment caused by service-connected disabilities. The case is REMANDED for further proceedings.

The Board found that the appellant's character of discharge from military service is a bar to his receipt of VA benefits including Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) under Chapter 35, Title 38, United States Code.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining all VA treatment records and readjudicating the TDIU claim based on the new evidence.

The Board has granted an initial rating of 40 percent for Raynaud's disease syndrome of the hands, effective July 15, 2005. The appeal regarding service connection for a left foot disorder was denied.

The Board found that there is no evidence of cold injury residuals during service and the Veteran's current symptoms are not related to his military service. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a gastrointestinal disorder, including duodenal ulcers, has been reopened. The claim for service connection for a lung or respiratory disorder remains denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was caused by a service-connected disability, specifically malaria, and thus grants service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his residuals of jaw disability, as it has been more than four years since his last VA examination. The case will be returned to the Board after this additional development.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA and Vet Center records, as well as SSA disability determination records. A VA examination will be scheduled to assess the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his ability to engage in substantially-gainful employment prior to February 14, 2014.

The Veteran's right and left foot hallux valgus (bunions) are manifested by pain or tenderness, with no operation with resection of metatarsal head completed. They do not approximate amputation of either the right or left great toes, approximating no more than mild disability of the feet.

The Board has determined that the reduction of the disability evaluation for abdominal aortic aneurysm, status post-surgical repair and stent placement from 100 percent to zero percent, effective May 1, 2010, was proper.

The Veteran's service-connected back and foot disabilities preclude locomotion without the aid of a wheelchair, meeting one of the criteria for financial assistance in acquiring specially adapted housing (SAH). The Veteran is not eligible for special home adaptations (SHA) due to his eligibility for SAH.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's mother, J.V.M., is his dependent parent and entitled to an apportionment of his VA compensation benefits during his period of incarceration.

The Veteran's service-connected silicosis has been asymptomatic without findings of forced vital capacity (FVC) or diffusion capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide by the single breath method (DLCO (SB)) that have been attributed to this disability. Therefore, a compensable evaluation is not warranted.