Parkinson's disease decisions — 2020

The Board has vacated the previous decision and remanded for further development, including determining if service connection can be granted for DM and whether a seizure disorder is related to it on a secondary basis.

The Veteran is denied an effective date prior to February 20, 2011 for the grant of service connection for Parkinson's disease.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for special monthly pension based on aid and attendance is denied because the form he submitted indicated he was seeking compensation only, not pension. The effective date of March 3, 2017, is correct as it aligns with his application.

The Veteran's claims for Parkinsonism, Lewy body dementia, and depressive disorder have been denied as these conditions are not presumed to be related to herbicide exposure during service.

The Board has found that there has not been substantial compliance with its August 2019 remand directives and requires another VA examination to determine the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder with alcohol dependence and his Parkinson's disease, as well as the impact of these conditions on his ability to work.

An increased initial disability rating of 100 percent for service-connected PTSD is granted during the entire appeal period.,Service connection for Parkinson's disease, right shoulder disability, right elbow disability, and right fourth finger disability (claimed as a right hand disability) are denied.,Service connection for cystitis glandularis and benign prostatic hyperplasia and urinary retention are remanded to obtain additional medical opinions.

The Board has restored service connection for Parkinson’s disease, finding that the severance was improper due to conflicting evidence regarding the diagnosis and its relation to Agent Orange exposure.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Parkinson’s disease was denied due to lack of evidence linking the condition to his active service. The claim for SMC based on need for aid and attendance and/or housebound status was also denied as there is no evidence showing he requires regular assistance or is bedridden.

The appeal for a compensable rating for Wolf-Parkinson-White syndrome is dismissed, and the case is remanded for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine.

The Veteran's service connection for coronary artery disease (CAD) is granted due to presumed exposure to an herbicide agent. Service connection for Parkinson's disease and a respiratory disability are denied. The cause of the Veteran’s death, congestive heart failure, is found to be related to his service-connected CAD.

The Board granted an effective date of August 28, 2015 for the assignment of a 20 percent rating for bilateral lower extremity tremor, bradykinesia, muscle rigidity, stiffness, and balance impairment due to Parkinson’s disease.

The Veteran's cause of death, Parkinson's disease, is considered to be due to his service in Thailand where he was likely exposed to herbicide agents. The Board granted service connection for the cause of death.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient information on whether the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents in Vietnam. The appellant contends that the Veteran's diabetes and Parkinson's disease contributed to his death, which is a condition associated with exposure to certain herbicide agents.

The Board denied service connection for Multiple System Atrophy (also claimed as Parkinson's disease) for purposes of retroactive accrued benefits because the Veteran only had clinically and pathologically distinct Multiple System Atrophy, not a variant of Parkinson's disease.

The Board has remanded the cases due to uncertainty about the Veteran's exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam and his service on ships within 12 nautical miles of the coast. The VA will need to determine if he served in these areas and obtain relevant ship logs.

The Board denied DIC benefits based on service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to lack of evidence linking Parkinson's disease, a condition diagnosed post-service, to his military service.

The Veteran's increased disability rating for Depression Disorder due to Parkinson’s disease is granted, with a maximum rating of 70 percent.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Parkinson’s Disease is remanded due to insufficient evidence of herbicide exposure and the need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's Parkinson's disease, presumed service-connected due to his Vietnam-era service, was found to be the immediate cause of death. Service connection for cause of death is granted. The claim for DIC under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 is dismissed as moot.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for service connection of peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities due to a withdrawal by the Veteran's representative. The appeals for diabetes and Parkinson's disease are remanded.