Parkinson's disease decisions — 2018

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining private medical records and affording the Veteran a VA examination to assess his Parkinson's disease.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including medical examinations and consideration of his exposure history.

The Board has granted service connection for Parkinson's Disease due to herbicide exposure, but denied service connection for bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy as there is no evidence of a current disability within the presumptive period or a link between the condition and service.

The Board found that the Veteran's heart disorders, including WPW syndrome, congestive heart failure, and dilated cardiomyopathy, were not incurred in or related to his active military service. The preponderance of evidence indicated these conditions existed prior to service and did not worsen during service.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's claimed disabilities, including coronary artery disease, hypertension, and other conditions, based on presumed exposure to herbicides while serving in the Republic of Vietnam. The effective date is set as August 31, 2010, which is when VA added ischemic heart disease (IHD) as a presumptive disability.

The Veteran's Parkinson's disease and associated complications are rated at a maximum of 40 percent, effective January 8, 2015. The issues regarding higher ratings for manifestations of Parkinson's disease prior to that date have been denied.

The Board found no evidence of herbicide exposure and thus denied service connection for Parkinson's disease and ischemic heart disease.

The Board dismissed the issue of whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim for PTSD.,Service connection for Vascular Parkinsonism, claimed as Parkinson's disease, including secondary to in-service exposure to herbicide agents, was denied.

The Veteran's nonservice-connected disabilities for pension purposes prior to October 25, 2017 included PTSD with major depression, knee arthralgia, Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome, hypertension, inguinal hernia, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The Veteran was not found to meet the schedular criteria for a permanent and total disability rating prior to October 25, 2017. As such, he is not entitled to nonservice-connected pension benefits prior to that date.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to allow for a DRO hearing due to the failure of the RO to provide the requested hearing.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities require the factual need for the aid and attendance of another person, warranting SMC based on the need for aid and attendance.

The Veteran's Parkinson's disease and its associated residuals, including urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction, loss of sense of smell, and SMC based on loss of use of a creative organ, are all effective from August 31, 2010. The separate ratings for the residuals of Parkinson's disease with right upper extremity muscle rigidity and stiffness, left upper extremity muscle rigidity and stiffness, right lower extremity, left lower extremity, urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction, and loss of sense of smell are also effective from August 31, 2010. Service connection for residuals of Parkinson's disease with right upper extremity muscle rigidity and stiffness, left upper extremity muscle rigidity and stiffness, right lower extremity, and left lower extremity is not effective earlier than August 31, 2010.

The Veteran does not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation (SMC) at the (s) rate as their TDIU rating is based on multiple service-connected disabilities and not a single total disability.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development regarding the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents during service and for a medical opinion on whether his Parkinson's disease is related to his military service.

The Board denied the claim of service connection for cause of death due to lack of evidence linking Parkinson's disease to service, including ACDUTRA or exposure to herbicide agents.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for Parkinson's Disease, which he claims is secondary to his service-connected disabilities and/or traumatic brain injury. The Board has determined that additional development is needed to clarify whether the Parkinson's Disease is an independent disorder or a progression of his already service-connected neurocognitive disorder with residuals, porencephalic cyst right hemisphere due to trauma (previously rated as incomplete paralysis, all radicular groups).

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was caused by Parkinsonism, which is considered a service-connected disability. Therefore, the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is granted.

The Board found that new and material evidence had been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for Parkinson's disease, but denied the claim as there was no evidence linking the Veteran's current condition to his military service or exposure to herbicide agents.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death.