Other conditions Board decisions

The Veteran's request for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at St. Vincent's Medical Center from September 24, 2010 to September 26, 2010 is denied as he did not meet the eligibility criteria under VA regulations.

The Veteran's death was not due to a service-connected disability, and he did not receive VA compensation or pension benefits at the time of his death. The appeal for non-service connected burial benefits is denied.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board found that the overpayment of $5466.00 was properly created due to the Veteran's failure to notify VA of his divorce in a timely manner, and thus he is at fault for the creation of the debt. The Board concluded that repayment would not violate principles of equity and good conscience as it does not deprive the Veteran or his family of basic necessities.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the Veteran's claim of service connection for perirectal abscess, thus denying the appeal.

The Veteran's request for an extension of the delimiting date for educational assistance benefits under Chapter 30, Title 38, United States Code (Montgomery GI Bill) beyond July 18, 2000 was denied as he did not apply within the required time frames.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his service-connected pleural plaques due to asbestos exposure is being remanded for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and a new examination.

The Veteran's application for VA educational assistance benefits under the Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP) was denied because her chosen school, the University of Texas at Dallas, is not a community college or technical school. The claim must be denied as a matter of law.

The Veteran's claimed neuropathies of the bilateral upper and lower extremities are not service-connected as they are related to his cerebrovascular accident in 1993, which is unrelated to his diabetes mellitus.

The Board has determined that the appellant's discharge from service was under dishonorable conditions due to willful and persistent misconduct, which constitutes a bar to VA benefits.

The Veteran's anal fissure status post anal fistulectomy has been rated at 10 percent, the lowest available rating. The Board finds that this rating is appropriate given the Veteran's symptoms of occasional moderate leakage.

The Veteran's recurrent left epididymitis with spermatocele has been characterized by episodes of pain requiring long-term drug therapy, and the Board finds that a 10 percent evaluation is warranted for this condition.

The Veteran's service with the Philippine Scouts from August 1946 to January 1949 is recognized. However, as the appellant died during the appeal process, the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this claim.

The Veteran's service connection claim for throat cancer, presumed due to Agent Orange exposure during his Vietnam-era service in Thailand and Vietnam, is granted.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the Veteran's death, and no jurisdiction remains to adjudicate the merits of this claim.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining private treatment records and arranging a comprehensive VA examination to assess his employability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that there was clear and unmistakable error in the March 1983 rating decision denying service connection for ankylosing spondylitis, and thus the claim is granted.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and readjudication due to issues raised in a Memorandum Decision by the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. Specifically, the Veteran's service-connected chronic venous insufficiency of the right lower extremity is being referred to the Director of Compensation and Pension Service for consideration of whether an extraschedular rating is warranted.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for superficial squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma of the scalp, as well as laryngitis, were remanded by the Board. The VA Regional Office (RO) granted an increased rating of 30 percent effective July 3, 2012, for the service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's right elbow condition, including numbness and a snapping sensation, is at least as likely as not related to his in-service injury.