Other conditions Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for further examination and evaluation of his right thigh muscle atrophy and meralgia paresthetica.

The Veteran's post-operative residuals of a right inguinal hernia do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under applicable VA disability evaluation criteria. The Board finds that his symptoms, including pain and weakness in the abdominal area, do not warrant an increased rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional examinations and opinions regarding his service-connected disabilities, as well as the secondary service connection claims for sleep apnea and blindness. The case will be further reviewed after these actions are completed.

The Board has determined that the appellant is entitled to recognition as the surviving spouse of the Veteran for VA death benefits purposes, based on clear and convincing evidence of a common law marriage.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling a VA examination and obtaining an opinion on whether the Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma of the pharynx is related to his service in Vietnam, specifically his presumed exposure to Agent Orange.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's chronic upper respiratory infections are at least as likely as not caused by her service-connected allergic rhinitis and Eustachian tube dysfunction with otitis media, resolving any doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board found no evidence of a current left eye vision loss disability and concluded that there is no causal relationship between the Veteran's military service and his claimed left eye vision loss.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses at TMH on August 9, 2010 is granted as the Board finds that he acted reasonably in seeking emergency treatment.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by his representative, and the case is dismissed as a result.

The Board finds that the appellant's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is denied as there was no evidence indicating that the Veteran's service-connected pulmonary tuberculosis substantially or materially contributed to his death until September 1982, which predates her December 2, 2003 application to reopen her previously denied claim.

The Board has determined that the appellant does not have qualifying service to qualify for VA pension benefits.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for arthritis of the hips, bilaterally and bilateral leg cramping.

The Board has determined that there is no current service-connected disability for the Veteran's left and right feet. The Veteran reported foot pain, but the pre-discharge examination found no diagnosed condition.,Service connection was granted for bruxism as it was diagnosed in service.

The Board finds that the appellant was the Veteran's spouse at the time of his death and thus meets the criteria for recognition as a surviving spouse for VA benefits.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to obtain the Veteran's treatment records and verify his service history, including any exposure to herbicides or carbon tetrachloride. The appeal will be remanded for these purposes.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right hand disability was denied as there is no evidence of any injury or disease in service that resulted in the current condition. The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current right hand disability and thus, cannot establish service connection.

The Veteran's claims for respiratory/lung disability and eye disability, both claimed as secondary to service-connected hypertension, are being remanded due to the failure to report to a scheduled VA examination.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for examinations to assess his service-connected right inguinal hernia and any asserted umbilical hernia.

The Veteran's request for a waiver of recovery of the $3,000 overpayment of VA education benefits was granted due to the relative fault in creating the debt being balanced between VA and the Veteran, and repayment would result in undue hardship.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current right hand disability is not related to his military service, including a reported injury during active duty.