Real decisions, in plain English

The Board has remanded the case for a determination on whether injuries sustained in a November 2001 incident were in the line of duty. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is also remanded due to its interdependence with the line of duty issue.

Acquired psychiatric disorder

The Veteran's service connection claims for lumbosacral strain, asthma, melasma and hydradenitis, hypertension, an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as depression, anxiety, and stress), left shoulder disorder, right shoulder disorder, left knee disorder, a left foot disorder, and IBS have been granted. The remaining issues are remanded.

lumbosacral strain · asthma · melasma and hydradenitis · hypertension · an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as depression, anxiety, and stress) · left shoulder disorder · right shoulder disorder · left knee disorder · left foot disorder · irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

The Veteran's service connection claim for coronary artery disease with myocardial infarction is granted on a presumptive basis due to exposure to herbicide agents during his active duty in Korea.

coronary artery disease · myocardial infarction

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for prostate cancer and sleep apnea as secondary to prostate cancer due to errors in the AOJ decision. The AOJ must verify the Veteran's exposure to contaminated water during his time in Germany, which could affect both claims.

prostate cancer · sleep apnea

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is not related to service or any service-connected disabilities, and thus remanded for further examination and opinion.

obstructive sleep apnea

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for adhesions as secondary to irritable bowel syndrome, finding that there was no nexus between the claimed condition and service or a service-connected disability.

adhesions · irritable bowel syndrome

The Board dismissed the appeal because the appellant withdrew it due to the Veteran directly paying him the fees.

The appeal regarding your right hip degenerative joint disease was dismissed because the appellant died during the pendency of the appeal.

right hip degenerative joint disease (DJD)

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of information regarding the Veteran's periods of active duty, ACDUTRA, and INACDUTRA. The AOJ is instructed to obtain these dates and any associated medical records.

Bilateral Hearing Loss

The Veteran's appeal for a higher disability rating for PTSD and the effective date of his award is dismissed. The Veteran was granted an initial disability rating of 70 percent for PTSD as of December 19, 2024.

spondylosis of the lumbar spine · chronic bronchitis (claimed as shortness of breath)

The claims for PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disorder, memory loss/memory problems, chronic fatigue, sleep difficulties/sleep disturbances, and sleep apnea have been denied. The claim for service connection for residuals of testicular denervation and varicosectomy has been granted.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) · Acquired Psychiatric Disorder · Memory Loss/Problems · Chronic Fatigue · Sleep Difficulties/Sleep Disturbances · Sleep Apnea · Tinea · Traumatic Arthritis of the Lumbosacral Spine/Low Back Pain (claimed as Traumatic Arthritis) · Residuals of Testicular Denervation and Varicosectomy (claimed as Groin and Testicular Pain) · Bilateral Plantar Fasciitis · Deviated Septum · Hernia Disability

The Board has granted the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to AL amyloidosis, which was presumed to be related to his in-service exposure to herbicide agents. The Veteran's death certificate noted that AL amyloidosis contributed substantially or materially to his death.

AL amyloidosis

The Veteran's service-connected Parkinson's disease has resulted in disability equivalent to the functional loss of use of both feet and hands, entitling him to SMC at the rate provided by 38 U.S.C. § 1114(l) for loss of use of the feet and 38 U.S.C. § 1114(m) for loss of use of the hands.

Right lower extremity bradykinesia, muscle rigidity, and stiffness · Left lower extremity bradykinesia, muscle rigidity, and stiffness · Right upper extremity bradykinesia, muscle rigidity, and stiffness with tremors · Left upper extremity bradykinesia, muscle rigidity, and stiffness with tremors

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical nexus opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea and its relationship to his service-connected disabilities.

sleep apnea

The appeal for beneficiary travel expenses related to the Veteran's September 15, 2022 episode of care is dismissed as the underlying issue has been resolved and payment was processed in November 2022.

Your initial claim for a compensable disability rating for obstructive airway disease has been granted, and you are now receiving the maximum disability rating of 100 percent since January 12, 2018. The appeal is dismissed as moot because your condition has already been fully addressed.

obstructive airway disease

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance (SMC AA) is remanded due to a duty to assist error. The VA needs to obtain an examination to assess the Veteran's need for aid and attendance.

PTSD · Coronary Artery Bypass Graft

The Board has received a withdrawal request from the appellant, and thus the appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's service connection for other specified trauma and stressor-related disorder with persistent depressive disorder, anxious distress, and pure dysthymic syndrome was granted. The appeal for PTSD is dismissed as moot because the issue has been rendered irrelevant by the grant of service connection in another appeal stream.

other specified trauma and stressor-related disorder · persistent depressive disorder · anxious distress · pure dysthymic syndrome

The Veteran's appeals for earlier effective dates for service connection and SMC were dismissed as the AOJ rating decision implementing the Board's decision was not appealable.

erectile dysfunction · loss of use of a creative organ