Parkinson's disease decisions — 2020

The Board has determined that the Veteran's appeal is timely and has remanded his claim for service connection for sleep apnea due to a need for additional medical opinion.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient information provided by the AOJ regarding the Veteran's alleged herbicide exposure at U-Tapao RTAFB in Thailand. The AOJ is instructed to provide additional details and request a formal finding from JSRRC.

The Veteran is not competent to handle disbursement of VA funds due to his mental health conditions, including schizophrenia and depression.

The Veteran is not competent to handle disbursement of VA funds due to his mental health conditions, including schizophrenia and depression.

The Veteran is not competent to handle disbursement of VA funds due to his mental health conditions, including schizophrenia and depression.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a right knee disability and Parkinson’s disease due to new evidence indicating worsening of his conditions. For the right knee, a VA examination is needed to assess the current severity of the condition, including any recent meniscal tear. For Parkinson’s disease, a VA opinion is required to confirm the diagnosis and determine if it is related to in-service herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence in previous examinations and opinions.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including lumbar spine degenerative disease, bilateral knee conditions, hypertension, and left carotid arterial endarterectomy. The issues include rating determinations for these conditions as well as a determination of TDIU prior to March 9, 2017.

The Veteran's death was caused by Parkinson's disease, which the Board found not service-connected. The claim for service connection for cause of death is denied as there is no evidence that any service-connected disability contributed to his death.

The Board has remanded the claims for Parkinson's disease and hemorrhoids due to issues with obtaining relevant records, including Department of Transportation medical records. The Veteran is also required to undergo a VA examination to confirm or dismiss any findings of Parkinson's disease and to assess the severity of his service-connected hemorrhoids.

The Veteran's Parkinson’s disease is granted service connection as it is related to his active duty service. However, the non-epileptic seizures are not found to be secondary to or caused by his service-connected TBI.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed exposure to herbicides and DDT during service, as well as the etiology of his Parkinson's disease.

The Board has restored service connection for Parkinson's disease, finding that the original severance decision was improper due to conflicting evidence regarding whether the Veteran had Parkinson's disease or essential tremor. The Board also found some probative evidence linking the condition to Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to new evidence submitted after his appeal was certified. The issues include hypertension, thyroid disorder, larynx disorder, lung disorder, and a neurodegenerative disease (Parkinson’s disease).

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of prostate cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and coronary artery arteriosclerosis associated with herbicide exposure at Korat RTAFB in Thailand.

The Veteran's death was caused by Parkinson's disease dementia, but the Board is unable to determine if it was service-connected due to lack of evidence regarding his exposure to herbicides or other potential causes. The case is being remanded to obtain missing service records.

The Veteran's Parkinson's disease, which was related to his active service, is granted as the cause of his death. The claim for DIC benefits due to inadequate VA treatment is dismissed.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and therefore his cause of death is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for white matter changes and dementia (claimed as Parkinson’s Disease) was reopened, and he is now granted service connection. Additionally, his claim for service connection for Parkinson's disease, which he contends is secondary to herbicide exposure, has also been granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents during service at U-Tapao RTAFB in Thailand, which is sufficient evidence for presumptive service connection of Parkinson's disease.