Parkinson's disease decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the claims due to an error in not considering the PACT Act, which may provide additional service connection based on exposure to toxic substances during military service.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU due to service-connected PTSD, effective January 1, 2022. Additionally, the Veteran is also entitled to SMC at the housebound rate due to his other service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for prostate cancer and Parkinson's disease are granted due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during service.,Service connection for tinnitus is restored as it was improperly severed.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied as his service-connected lipomas and Parkinson's disease did not render him unemployable due to the severity of these conditions alone.

The appellant's right upper extremity tremors, bradykinesia, muscle rigidity, and stiffness are rated at 70 percent effective March 24, 2023. The appellant's sleep disturbances are rated at 30 percent effective March 24, 2023. Service connection for Parkinson's disease is granted with separate ratings under various DCs.

The Board denied the petition to reopen the claim for service connection for Parkinson's disease, finding no new and material evidence to support a direct service connection or any of the presumptive exposure theories.

The Veteran's Parkinson's disease and diabetes mellitus type II (DM-2) are granted as service-connected due to exposure to herbicide agents. The Veteran's cluster migraines remain in dispute.,The Veteran's DM-2 is denied a rating greater than 20 percent, with no compensable complications noted.

The Board has remanded the claims for Parkinson's disease, bladder cancer, and ischemic heart disease due to a lack of verification regarding the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents during service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for Parkinson's disease and diabetes mellitus, both secondary to herbicide exposure, are remanded due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors.

The Board has remanded the claims for Parkinson's disease, bladder cancer, and ischemic heart disease due to a lack of verification regarding the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents during service.

The Board has remanded the claims for Parkinson's disease, ischemic heart disease, and diabetes mellitus type II due to potential herbicide exposure while serving aboard the USS Enterprise and USS Coral Sea. The AOJ is instructed to verify the Veteran's exact location during his service, including whether he served in Korea near the DMZ.

The Veteran's heart disability and Parkinson's disease were not found to have onset during service or be related to service, including herbicide agent exposure. The Board denied both claims as there was no direct evidence linking the disabilities to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's currently diagnosed Parkinsonism is related to his acknowledged in-service exposure to herbicide agents, specifically Agent Orange. As such, service connection for Parkinsonism is granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate compliance with previous remand directives and a need for a new medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's Parkinson's disease, specifically related to his service exposure.

The appeal for an earlier effective date prior to September 11, 2013 for the grant of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.,New and material evidence has not been received sufficient to reopen the claim for Parkinson's Disease.,New and material evidence has been received sufficient to reopen the claim for a heart condition. Service connection is granted pursuant to the PACT Act.,New and material evidence has been received sufficient to reopen the claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus was a contributory cause of his death, and thus grants service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his acquired psychiatric disorder and parkinsonism, make it impossible for him to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has granted service connection for Parkinson's disease due to in-service herbicide exposure, specifically Agent Orange. The nonservice-connected pension issue is being remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for various neurologic manifestations of Parkinson's disease have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of the current disability ratings.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of compliance with the PACT Act and a need for a medical opinion regarding the Veteran's toxic exposure risk activities in service.