Other conditions Board decisions

The Veteran's right eye pterygium and bilateral nuclear sclerotic cataractous changes resulted in visual acuity no worse than 20/300 in the right eye and 20/100 in the left eye since June 22, 2012. Prior to that date, his vision was no worse than 20/800 in the right eye and 20/25 in the left eye.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received sufficient to reopen the claim of service connection for actinic keratoses, including as due to ionizing radiation exposure.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and examination to determine if the Veteran's carotid artery tumor and pituitary gland tumor are related to his military service, including Gulf War exposure.

The Veteran's soft tissue sarcoma is presumed to be related to his service in the Republic of Vietnam, and thus service connection is granted.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Compass Behavior Center from February xx, 2008 to March x, 2008 are granted as the treatment was for a condition that presented an emergency requiring immediate care and VA facilities were not feasibly available.

The Veteran's service with the Regular Philippine Scouts does not qualify him for a one-time payment from the FVEC Fund, as he did not serve in the Philippine Commonwealth Army or New Philippine Scouts. The claim is denied.

The Board has found that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses for residuals of a cold injury or strep throat, and thus cannot establish service connection.

The case is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and providing the Veteran with a Supplemental Statement of the Case.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral degenerative joint disease of the hips as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disabilities, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the current severity of her service-connected duodenal ulcer.

The Veteran's claim for a one-time payment from the FVEC Fund was denied as he did not have requisite service to qualify under the law.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a neurologic disability of the lower extremities, finding that there was no evidence of such condition in service or within one year post-service. The VA examinations and medical literature provided opinions against a direct link between the current condition and military service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the Veteran's service connection for the cause of his death, including whether his gastric cancer developed due to herbicide exposure or was related to a service-connected condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is not competent to handle disbursement of funds for VA benefits due to his mental health condition, specifically schizoaffective disorder.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and a VA medical opinion regarding the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Board denied the appellant's request to change her Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA or Chapter 35) beginning date from May 26, 2010 to August 24, 2009. The decision stated that under applicable law and regulation, she was in fact entitled to an eligibility date no earlier than May 26, 2010.

The case is being remanded for further development, including obtaining a VHA medical opinion and reviewing additional evidence submitted by the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete financial information and a missing letter explaining the change in entitlement to education benefits.

The appellant was denied eligibility for CHAMPVA benefits from April 1, 2010 due to her cancellation of Medicare Part B enrollment.

The Veteran's waiver requests for overpayment of VA educational assistance benefits in the amounts of $352.27 and $273.01 are granted, with the latter being against equity and good conscience due to deployment issues.