Other conditions decisions — 2018

The Veteran's $4,843.85 debt is solely the result of VA administrative error and thus invalid. The issue of entitlement to a debt waiver is dismissed as moot.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hip DJD, left knee DJD, and low back injury and DJD are being remanded due to the need for further development.,Service connection has been granted for left knee DJD.

The Veteran's service is not considered wartime, and therefore does not meet the eligibility requirements for VA non-service connected pension benefits.

The Board has reopened the claim and granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability diagnosed as degenerative joint disease of L5-S1, finding that it was aggravated by active duty.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for the cause of death due to liver cancer, but remanded the case for a VA medical opinion on whether the Veteran's liver cancer was caused by his military service or specifically herbicide exposure. The DIC claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the service connection issue.

The VA has reinstated DIC benefits to the Appellant as her remarriage did not bar payment due to fraud or collusion.

The Veteran's appeal regarding the reduction of compensation due to an offset for military retirement payment has been dismissed as he withdrew his appeal.

The Veteran's service connection claim for multiple myeloma due to herbicide exposure during his time in Thailand is granted. The Board found that the Veteran was exposed to herbicides and has a current diagnosis of multiple myeloma, granting presumptive service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient notice regarding the overpayment of education benefits and the right to request a waiver within 180 days.

The Veteran's low back disability has been granted a 60% rating effective September 20, 2018. The right lower extremity radiculopathy was also granted an initial 40% rating effective September 20, 2018.

The Veteran's adult son and sister are not considered 'children' for the purposes of accrued benefits, and thus do not qualify to receive reimbursement for expenses related to his last sickness or burial.

The Board denied an adjustment to the appellant's nonservice-connected death pension benefits, finding that she failed to provide requested information regarding medical expenses.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for right and left shin splints due to a lack of sufficient information from the VA examination regarding whether the ankle sprains are related to her service-connected bilateral shin splints. The case will be returned to the RO or AMC for further development.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed because the appellant requested to withdraw their appeal.

The Board denied the reopening of a claim regarding the appellant's character of discharge, finding that no new and material evidence had been submitted since the last final decision in September 2006.