Real decisions, in plain English

The Board granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, based on the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents during his active duty in Subic Bay, Philippines.

Diabetes mellitus, type II

The Board granted an earlier effective date of October 30, 2016, for the award of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities and Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits.

The Board denied an earlier effective date and a higher initial rating for the service-connected adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, finding that the earliest possible effective date had been assigned.

adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood

The Board granted a disability rating of 10 percent from November 22, 2024 for the service-connected hypertension.

hypertension

The veteran's appeal requests for service connection and increased ratings were denied due to untimeliness, as the appeals were not filed within one year of the respective rating decisions.

broken left leg · left leg condition · right shoulder condition · seizures · traumatic brain injury (TBI) · unspecified neurocognitive disorder

The Veteran was granted an initial rating of 70 percent for service-connected paranoid schizophrenia and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) effective July 1, 2020.

Paranoid Schizophrenia

The Board denied entitlement to a TDIU prior to April 25, 2025, and dismissed the claim for TDIU as of that date.

The Board denied service connection for hepatitis C, jaundice, hypogeusia, and hyposmia as there was no evidence of a current disability during the pendency of the claim.

hepatitis C · jaundice · hypogeusia · hyposmia

The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death before a decision could be made.

The Board denied an initial increased rating for diabetes mellitus type II and remanded the claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, right shoulder strain with acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis and tendinitis, cervical spine spondylosis, left knee degenerative arthritis, right knee degenerative arthritis, and thoracolumbar scoliosis and lumbar spine degenerative changes.

Diabetes Mellitus Type II · Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) · Right Shoulder Strain with Acromioclavicular Joint Osteoarthritis and Tendinitis · Cervical Spine Spondylosis · Left Knee Degenerative Arthritis · Right Knee Degenerative Arthritis · Thoracolumbar Scoliosis and Lumbar Spine Degenerative Changes, including Degenerative Disc Disease

The Board remands the matter of entitlement to service connection for right hip replacement due to a need for an addendum medical opinion addressing aggravation.

right hip replacement

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied the appeal for entitlement to benefits under the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) as the Veteran died before the criteria for approval had been met.

The Board granted service connection for panic disorder, OSA, and hypertension as secondary to a service-connected condition. The claim for diabetes mellitus was denied.

panic disorder · obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) · diabetes mellitus (DM) · hypertension

The Board remands the Veteran's claim for revision of a March 2005 rating decision based on clear and unmistakable error (CUE) regarding the effective date of service connection for patellofemoral syndrome, right knee and left knee.

patellofemoral syndrome, right knee · patellofemoral syndrome, left knee

The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain and bilateral knee strain, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.

lumbosacral strain · bilateral knee strain

The Board remands the claims for service connection for vertigo and migraines as secondary to tinnitus due to inadequate VA medical opinions.

benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (vertigo) · migraine headaches including migraine variants

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the grant of service connection and granted initial 40 percent ratings for left upper extremity CTS, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy.

left upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) · right lower extremity radiculopathy · left lower extremity radiculopathy · painful scars, left inner thigh, residual of laser ablation of genital condyloma · residual scars, left inner thigh, residual of laser ablation of genital condyloma

The Board granted service connection for hypothyroidism, as it is presumptively linked to herbicide agent exposure during the Veteran's service in Vietnam.

hypothyroidism

The appeal for eligibility for benefits under the VA's PCAFC is remanded due to a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error.