Real decisions, in plain English

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an extraschedular TDIU, finding that her service-connected disabilities did not prevent her from obtaining or maintaining a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board remands the matters for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and conducting VA examinations.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)

The Board grants service connection for a right hip strain, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran based on evidence showing an onset during service and continuous symptoms since then.

right hip strain

The Board granted a 20 percent rating for the service-connected right ankle sprain, but denied an increased rating in excess of 20 percent.

right ankle sprain

The Board granted service connection for bilateral vitreous eye floaters and denied service connection for allergic rhinitis and vasomotor rhinitis.

bilateral vitreous eye floaters · allergic rhinitis and vasomotor rhinitis (rhinitis)

The appeal is remanded for further development and consideration of the Veteran's claims for service connection for various acquired psychiatric disorders.

anxiety · posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to military sexual trauma · alcohol use disorder · drug use disorder · body dysmorphia

The Veteran's effective date for the award of an 80 percent rating for narcolepsy is granted from August 11, 2015.

narcolepsy

The Board denied service connection for the veteran's claimed conditions, including right shoulder arthritis, left shoulder arthritis, right hip condition, left hip condition, low back disability, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, as there was no evidence of in-service injury or illness related to these conditions.

right shoulder arthritis · left shoulder arthritis · right hip condition · left hip condition · low back disability · left lower extremity radiculopathy, secondary to a low back disability · right lower extremity radiculopathy, secondary to a low back disability

The Board granted a disability rating of 50 percent for the Veteran's left shoulder disability and service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity, both secondary to his service-connected left shoulder disability.

Left shoulder disability, to include residuals of a left shoulder humeral head resurfacing and degenerative joint disease · Peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity

The Board denied service connection for fibromyalgia as the evidence does not support a current diagnosis of the condition.

fibromyalgia

The Board denied service connection for COPD, finding that the evidence does not support a link between the Veteran's respiratory condition and his military service, including exposure to Agent Orange.

COPD

The Board remands the claims for service connection for bilateral knee and lumbar spine conditions due to inadequate VA opinions.

bilateral knee condition · lumbar spine condition

The Board granted service connection for a cervical spine disability and a thoracolumbar spine disability, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are causally or etiologically due to his time in service.

cervical spine disability · thoracolumbar spine disability

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for vertigo and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to insufficient evidence linking his current condition to active service or any incident of service.

vertigo

The Board granted service connection for hypertension, finding that the Veteran's condition had its onset during her active duty service.

hypertension

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

prostate cancer with metastasis

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for thyroid cancer, as it was not shown to be chronic in service and did not manifest within the applicable presumptive period.

thyroid cancer

The Board granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, a blood disorder (chronic anemia), and a respiratory disability (COPD). It also granted entitlement to TDIU prior to June 2, 2023, and SMC based on housebound status from November 2, 2024.

diabetes mellitus, type II · chronic anemia (blood disorder) · respiratory disability, to include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

The Board remands the claims for service connection for hypertension and diabetes mellitus to obtain further medical opinions regarding their potential relationship to toxic exposures during active service.

hypertension · diabetes mellitus

The Veteran is granted a TDIU for the period from May 25, 2016 to January 18, 2017 due to his service-connected disabilities.

Bilateral pes planus · Lumbar spine degenerative arthritis and disc disease · Right knee patellofemoral syndrome · Left knee patellofemoral syndrome · Right foot hallux valgus · Left foot hallux valgus