Other conditions Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill is granted with a benefit level of 90 percent. The Board denied his request for an increased rate due to insufficient service length.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for blindness and anatomical loss of the right eye due to new evidence. However, the claim for a right eye disability is denied as there is no credible evidence that the current condition was incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's son was granted a permanent and total disability rating effective April 22, 2009. The Appellant applied for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits in August 2010 but failed to elect a beginning date within the required 60 days. As a result, December 11, 2009 was assigned as his beginning date for DEA benefits. Since there is no legal basis to grant retroactive payment based on a school's failure to notify VA, the claim must be denied.

The Board has determined that the correct delimiting date for the appellant's DEA benefits is March 26, 2013. The appeal is granted to this extent.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred on March 21, 2011 at the Eastern Maine Medical Center were denied as prior authorization for VA payment was not obtained and there were feasible VA facilities available.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current diagnoses of anemia or a heart disability, and thus service connection cannot be granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected recurrent supraventricular tachycardia was denied as the evidence did not show that his condition had worsened since his last VA examination in November 2009.

The Veteran's right hip replacement was rated at 30 percent, and the Board found that his symptoms did not warrant a higher rating.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the initial rating for service-connected hypercoagulopathy, leading to its dismissal.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing new examinations to address the Veteran's claims of service connection for loss of taste and smell, as well as bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's warts on both feet are related to his service-connected right foot hallux valgus and thus grants service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left eyelid disability and right hand disability were denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was caused by his metastatic transitional cell carcinoma, which is at least as likely as not related to his in-service exposure to radium. Therefore, service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is granted.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the Veteran's skin rash and stomach disability. The issues of service connection for a skin rash and stomach disability (including as secondary to PTSD) are in dispute.

The Board found that the cause of death, respiratory failure due to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, was not related to service or any service-connected disability. The appellant's assertion of radiation exposure during service was not supported by evidence and the Veteran himself denied such exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected left knee disability, including chondromalacia patella and/or patellofemoral syndrome, warrants a separate rating of 10 percent. The appeal for an increased rating for the residuals of shrapnel wound and contusion to the left knee is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diagnosed depressive neurosis, NOS is not related to his active service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the preponderance of evidence is against finding a left hip disability related to service, and thus denied the Veteran's claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for dental trauma of additional teeth, finding that there was no evidence of such trauma during service and that any missing teeth were due to natural progression or other causes.

The VA denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral otitis, finding that his episodes of otitis during the appeal period were acute and not related to service or a service-connected disability.