Parkinson's disease Board decisions

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the issues of entitlement to increased ratings for balance impairment, Parkinson's disease, left lower extremity tremor and rigidity/stiffness/bradykinesia, and mental manifestations of Parkinson's disease.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for Parkinson's disease, larynx disorder, lung disorder, hypertension, and thyroid disorder due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran. The Board also remanded the claim for special monthly compensation based on need for regular Aid and Attendance/Housebound (A&A/H) status.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for sleep apnea, low back disability, bilateral upper and lower extremity disability, and Parkinson’s disease to obtain an addendum opinion addressing whether these conditions are aggravated by his service-connected TBI.,The Veteran is seeking service connection for unspecified neurological condition associated with TBI and headaches associated with TBI.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia due to exposure to contaminants in the water supply at Camp Lejeune. Additional development is needed to determine if the Veteran was exposed to these conditions during his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for lung cancer and Parkinson's disease due to incomplete records, including VA treatment records from Long Beach Healthcare System and private treatment records from INTEGRIS Bass Baptist Health Center. The appellant is requested to provide any non-VA medical records related to these conditions.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, anxiety disorder (including depression), and Parkinson's disease were all granted. The Veteran was awarded a disability rating of 50 percent for his anxiety disorder, effective July 22, 2013. However, the Veteran did not meet the criteria for higher ratings.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for bilateral knee DJD and sleep apnea, but denied the claims for erectile dysfunction and Parkinson's disease. Bilateral knee DJD is not considered related to service, while sleep apnea was first noted after service.

The Board denied service connection for Parkinson's Disease as the evidence did not support a finding of exposure to herbicide agents or a causal relationship with service.

The Veteran was granted service connection for coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus Type II, and Parkinson's disease due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during his active duty in Vietnam. He is also awarded special monthly compensation at the (l) level based on need for regular aid and attendance.

The Board has granted service connection for arteriosclerosis as due to Agent Orange exposure. The claims for right and left upper extremity neurological disorders, Parkinson’s disease, and a prostate condition are remanded.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection. The issue of service connection for forgetfulness has been withdrawn by the Veteran. The issues of service connection for traumatic brain injury and seizures are remanded due to lack of a medical opinion.

The Veteran does not have any service-connected disabilities, and therefore cannot be granted a total rating for compensation purposes based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Parkinson’s disease, due to exposure to Agent Orange during his military service in Thailand, has been reopened and granted. The Board found that the evidence is at least in equipoise that the Veteran was exposed to Agent Orange, allowing for presumptive service connection.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder NOS is currently rated at 50 percent, but does not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to lack of occupational and social impairment. The TDIU claim was denied as there is no evidence that his service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's loss of use of both feet is now rated at 100 percent effective prior to July 9, 2014.,An increased rating of 20 percent for the back condition associated with Parkinson's disease has been granted effective prior to July 9, 2014.,The Veteran’s constipation associated with Parkinson's Disease is now rated at 10 percent effective prior to July 9, 2014.,An increased rating of 20 percent for incontinence associated with Parkinson's disease has been granted effective prior to July 9, 2014.,The Veteran’s loss of use of automatic movements associated with Parkinson's Disease is now rated at 20 percent effective prior to July 9, 2014.,An increased rating of 10 percent for difficulty chewing/swallowing associated with Parkinson's disease has been granted effective prior to July 9, 2014.,The Veteran’s speech changes associated with Parkinson's Disease are now rated at 30 percent effective prior to July 9, 2014.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for Parkinson’s disease as secondary to TBI with cognitive disorder because the new evidence did not establish a link between the condition and either the service or service-connected disability.

The Veteran's Parkinson’s disease, kidney disease, heart disease, and a skin disorder are not diseases that are acknowledged to be presumptively related to exposure to herbicide agents. The appellant is denied service connection for these conditions due to lack of prior claim.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions due to a lack of VA treatment records and SSA disability benefits records. The Veteran is also requested to provide any additional pertinent evidence.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD is remanded due to the need for a VA examination and addendum opinion.,The Veteran's claim for Parkinson's disease is remanded due to the need for a VA examination and review of private treatment records.,The Veteran's claim for COPD is remanded due to the need for a VA examination.,The Veteran's claim for extreme joint pain is remanded due to the need for a VA examination.,The Veteran's claim for skin disorder, to include malignant melanomas, is remanded due to the need for a VA examination and review of private treatment records.,The Veteran's claim for rectal impact surgery as secondary to service-connected organic aphonia is remanded due to the need for an addendum opinion.

The Board has remanded the appeal due to its inextricability with other pending appeals, and will readjudicate whether the appellant is eligible for CHAMPVA benefits after resolving those issues.