Tuberculosis decisions — 2021

The appeal to reopen the claim of service connection for pulmonary tuberculosis is granted. The Board also remanded the issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's Eustachian tube dysfunction is granted with a 30% rating. The claims for service connection of genitourinary disability, shortness of breath and respiratory signs/symptoms, chest pain, muscle pain (secondary to back and anxiety disorders), and dental disability are all remanded.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for sudden death syndrome, congestive heart failure, hypertension, right upper extremity myopathy, and diabetes mellitus, type II.,Service connection is denied for tuberculosis or residuals thereof.

The Veteran's tuberculosis was reduced from a 100% rating to noncompensable effective September 30, 1971. The reduction is granted until June 9, 1972 due to clear and unmistakable error (CUE).

The claim for an initial compensable disability rating for service-connected vertigo is dismissed.,The claim for an effective date earlier than May 1, 2015, for service-connected tinnitus is denied. The earliest date on which service connection for tinnitus may be effective is May 1, 2015.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for cause of death, finding that there was no evidence linking his cause of death to active duty service or any related exposures.

The Board has determined that additional medical opinions are needed to clarify the etiology of the Veteran's left ear hearing loss, prostatitis, ED, TB residuals and lung nodules/polyps, left ankle stress fracture, left ankle arthritis, and chronic pain all over.,The Veteran is being asked to provide more information regarding his exposure to asbestos aboard the USS Ponce LPD 15. He is also requested to clarify when and where he served for two months and seven days as documented in his DD Form 214.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection for his eye disorders are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a compensable disability evaluation for service-connected inactive pulmonary tuberculosis and for service connection for clear cell carcinoma with renal cell carcinoma and kidney removal due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the severity of his tuberculosis throughout the period on appeal, the nature and etiology of his cancer, and whether his service-connected condition caused or aggravated his cancer.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, COPD, TBI, an allergy to petroleum products, and tuberculosis. The cases are REMANDED for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical records and an inadequate VA medical opinion regarding the cause of death. The appellant contends that the Veteran's death is related to in-service herbicide exposure and/or tuberculosis exposure, but there is insufficient evidence to establish herbicide exposure on a facts-found basis.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there was no evidence linking his death to his military service.

The Veteran's hypertension and hypertensive retinopathy are granted service connection due to exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam. His tuberculosis is denied as secondary to PTSD.

The Board has remanded the cases of tuberculosis and chronic cysts for further development due to incomplete records and need for clarification.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for service connection for various conditions, including tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, sciatic nerve disability, pleurisy, tuberculosis, and back disability. The Board dismissed the appeals due to the Veteran's withdrawal.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of mycobacterium tuberculosis, an increased rating for tension headaches, and initial ratings for cervical spine intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) and scars post-lumbar spine surgery. The appeals were all denied as there was no current disability found in each case.

The Board has remanded the cases due to potential death of the Veteran, and further action is required to confirm his status.

The Veteran's right arm scar, which is stable and non-tender with a total area of less than 929 square centimeters, has been rated as noncompensable under Diagnostic Code 7805. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence does not support a compensable rating for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent for residuals of inactive tuberculosis to include emphysema and malignant neoplasms of right and left upper lobes is denied for the period prior to June 27, 2017.,The issue of entitlement to TDIU for the period from June 27, 2017 remains on appeal as it is part-and-parcel of the Veteran's claim for a higher rating for residuals of inactive tuberculosis. The matter has been dismissed as moot due to the combined schedular rating of 100 percent.,The issue of entitlement to TDIU on an extraschedular basis for the period prior to June 27, 2017 is denied.

The Veteran's bilateral ankle disability, lumbar spine disability, skin disorder, and tuberculosis (TB) were not shown as chronic in service or within the applicable presumptive period. Continuity of symptomatology is not established; and the disabilities are not otherwise etiologically related to an in-service injury or disease.,Peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity (PN RUE), left upper extremity (PN LUE), and bilateral lower extremities (PN BLE) were manifested with moderate incomplete paralysis of the median nerve, sciatic nerve, respectively.