Parkinson's disease decisions — 2021

The Veteran's bipolar II disorder is now rated at 100 percent effective November 6, 2016. The low back disability is now rated at 40 percent effective April 15, 2014. GERD and Parkinsonism are both service-connected.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including low back disability, neck disability, bipolar disorder, type II diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure, and neuropathies. The Board found no in-service incurrence of these disabilities and insufficient medical nexus evidence to link them to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for Parkinson's disease, a fungal disability, and arthritis of the body, feet and ankles. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to service or any presumptive exposure.

The Board has determined that a VA medical opinion was not obtained to determine if the Veteran's Parkinson's disease is related to his exposure to non-ionizing radiation from radar equipment during military service. The case is being remanded for this purpose.

The Board has remanded the case due to unclear evidence regarding whether the Veteran's essential tremors are a type of Parkinsonism, and if so, whether it is related to service or herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's Parkinson's disease was not incurred or aggravated during service and is not related to herbicide exposure. The Board denied the claim for service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal as his May 2014 substantive appeal was not timely filed, and thus he is not entitled to service connection for Parkinson's disease.

The Veteran's appeal regarding an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for Parkinson's disease is dismissed because he did not submit a timely notice of disagreement to appeal the July 2014 rating decision.

The Veteran's major depression with insomnia and cognitive impairments disability is granted at a 100 percent rating from January 2, 2019 to April 17, 2020. The issue of entitlement to Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) is dismissed as moot.

The Board has granted service connection for Parkinson's disease and its related conditions, including dementia, myocardial infarction, hypertension, hypotension, incontinence, back pain, loss of coordination and balance (cerebellar dysfunction), stroke, loss of vision, and partial loss of speech, as these conditions are found to be secondary to the service-connected Parkinson's disease.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Parkinson's disease is granted due to presumed exposure at Camp Lejeune. The matter of TDIU is remanded pending the assignment of a disability rating and effective date.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for type II diabetes, Parkinson's Disease and parkinsonism, ischemic heart disease (including CAD and angina), bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, cirrhosis, macular degeneration, vitiligo, and a heart disability, other than ischemic heart disease have all been granted.,SMC based on the need for aid and attendance has also been granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for Parkinson's disease and its complications due to inadequate evaluations in previous examinations. The case is returned to the AOJ for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran served near the air base perimeter at U-Tapao RTAFB during his service, which is presumed to have exposed him to herbicide agents. As a result, the Veteran's Parkinson's disease is granted as presumptively related to this exposure.

The Veteran's appeal for special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance or at the housebound rate is remanded due to a pre-decisional error in not scheduling him for a VA examination.