Other conditions decisions — 2018

The Veteran's cause of death, Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML), is presumed to have been incurred in service due to exposure to herbicide agents, including Agent Orange. Service connection for the cause of death is granted.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for chronic otitis externa was denied, and his service connection claim for a dental condition was also denied.

The VA has added new treatment records to the case file since the last decision. The claim will be reconsidered with these new records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right hip disorders due to insufficient evidence in the record, including a lack of clarity regarding current diagnoses. The Veteran is also being asked to provide authorization for any private medical records he may have.

The Board has ordered the removal of misfiled service records and requested an addendum opinion to determine if arthritis of multiple joints, including palindromic rheumatism, is related to active service or caused by or aggravated by service-connected conditions.

The Board found that the appellant was discharged under other than honorable conditions due to AWOL for more than 180 days and denied VA benefits as a result.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal, so the case is dismissed.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the inextricability of his dependent child claim with other pending service connection issues.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for adjustment disorder with depressed mood associated with right knee degenerative joint disease, finding that the original claim was filed on January 20, 2012.

The overpayment was not properly created as benefits were reduced prior to the 61st day of incarceration for a felony, and thus the appeal is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is denied as he has no service-connected disabilities, thus not meeting the criteria for a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's claims for a higher initial rating in excess of 10 percent for laceration of the right long finger and right ring finger, status post-excision bony exostosis at the proximal interphalangeal joint of the right long finger on an extraschedular basis under 38 C.F.R. § 3.321(b)(1) and a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service connection disability (TDIU) were both denied.

The Veteran's left inguinal hernia, status post herniorrhaphy does not meet the schedular requirements for a higher rating under the relevant diagnostic codes. The claim is being remanded and referred to VA’s Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration.

The Board has decided to remand the issue of whether an overpayment of compensation benefits was properly created in the amount of $11,434.00 due to a change in dependency status.

The Board denied the Veteran's attempt to reopen his service connection claim for HIV, finding that new and material evidence was not submitted.

The Veteran's claim for the reissuance of checks he alleges were not received is denied because it was filed more than one year after the date of issuance, and there is no evidence that any checks were returned as undeliverable.