Other conditions Board decisions

The Board has determined that the appellant is not entitled to recognition as the surviving spouse of the Veteran for VA death pension benefits purposes.

The Veteran's claim for VA Post 9/11 GI Bill education benefits was denied because his creditable service did not meet the required 30 days of continuous active duty under VA regulations. The case is REMANDED to request additional information from the Veteran and official sources regarding his enlistment terms and verify with the Department of Defense.

The Board found that the Veteran's current neurological disorder associated with his feet is not shown to be causally or etiologically related to his active military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's duodenal ulcer does not meet the criteria for a higher rating, as it is currently rated at 10 percent and does not demonstrate symptoms warranting a higher evaluation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnosis of Barrett's esophagus is related to his military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Appellant is not entitled to recognition as the Veteran's surviving spouse for VA death benefits purposes due to her divorce from the Veteran prior to his death.

The Board has remanded the case for an additional VA examination to determine if the Veteran's left foot symptoms are related to her service-connected left Achilles tendonitis and whether she has a separate disability of the left foot.

The Veteran's service-connected cold injury of the left and right lower extremities do not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for pension benefits was denied as the RO applied the 'liberalizing law' rule and assigned March 1, 2011 as the effective date. There is no basis to assign an earlier effective date.

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to assist in developing evidence for the claim of service connection for tingling and numbness in the upper extremities, which is claimed as secondary to diabetes mellitus.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to an intertwined issue of whether a timely substantive appeal was filed for service connection for cause of the Veteran's death. The underlying service-connection claim may affect eligibility for Chapter 35 educational benefits.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected basal cell carcinoma was denied. The current rating of 30 percent is maintained as the condition does not meet criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal regarding education benefits under the Montgomery G.I. Bill - Active Duty and Selected Reserve, and the Board has dismissed the appeal as a result.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a VA dental examination to determine if he has residuals of missing teeth related to the claimed in-service dental trauma and whether such loss was due to loss of substance of body of his maxilla or mandible. The claim will also be adjudicated based on eligibility for VA outpatient dental treatment.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as the VHA has notified the Board that he is now eligible for VA medical benefits and there are no allegations of errors in the determination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a clarification of the opinions given by the December 2013 VA examiner and consideration of the November 2013 VA operation report.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of left foot contusion, left great toe, and hematoma of right great toe. The claim is granted as new and material evidence was submitted.

The Board found that the overpayment of educational benefits in the amount of $8,860.98 was validly created and denied the Veteran's request for waiver of recovery due to untimeliness.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was caused by his in-service exposure to herbicides, which contributed to his development of esophageal cancer. As a result, service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is granted.