Real decisions, in plain English

The Veteran's spouse, MJW, is seeking an apportionment of the Veteran's VA compensation benefits. The AOJ denied her claim due to incomplete information regarding whether the Veteran provides a reasonable level of support to her. The Board finds that more evidence is needed to determine both parties' financial status.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error, requiring an additional medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder.

anxiety · depression

The Board has decided that the Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, should be remanded due to a failure to verify a stressor related to the death of his two best friends in Iraq. The AOJ needs to develop this stressor.

PTSD · major depressive disorder

The Veteran's service connection claims for left and right leg disabilities have been withdrawn. The claims for left shoulder, low back, and left ankle disabilities are granted.,The Veteran's bilateral shoulder, low back, and left ankle conditions began during active duty training in July 2019.

Left Leg Disability · Right Leg Disability · Left Shoulder Disability · Right Shoulder Disability · Low Back Disability · Left Ankle Disability

The Board granted a 100 percent rating for Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia from June 4, 2014 to September 27, 2018 and a 30 percent rating thereafter. The Veteran's CML was in remission during the latter period.

Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML)

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's bilateral plantar fasciitis and his service. The Veteran is seeking service connection for this condition.

bilateral plantar fasciitis

The Board denied the Appellant's requests for earlier effective dates for his service connection for bilateral pes planus and gynecomastia scar residuals, finding that the earliest possible effective dates are the dates of receipt of the claims.

bilateral pes planus · gynecomastia scar residuals

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type II, diabetic nephropathy, and prostate cancer. The issues of entitlement to special monthly compensation based on housebound status and eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) are remanded.

coronary artery disease, status-post myocardial infarction · diabetes mellitus type II · diabetic nephropathy · prostate cancer

The Veteran seeks service connection for shin splints that he claims began during his active duty at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri. The VA has not provided a sufficient examination to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's current right and left shin conditions, as well as their relationship to service.

right shin condition · left shin condition

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for small cell lung cancer, for purposes of accrued benefits, due to a duty to assist error and statutory or regulatory duty.

small cell lung cancer

The appeal for service connection for a right ear hearing loss disability is dismissed. The appeal for service connection for bilateral knee disabilities is denied.

Right ear hearing loss · Bilateral knee disability

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for an increased rating for coronary artery disease and entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities. The decision is pending further action as private treatment records are needed.

coronary artery disease · myocardial infarction · status post stent replacement

The Board denied eligibility to attorney fees based on past-due benefits awarded in a June 2024 rating decision because the initial decision granting an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss was not appealed within one year and became final. The Appellant's December 2023 VA Form 21-8940, submitted more than five years after the March 2018 rating decision, cannot be considered a supplemental claim.

bilateral hearing loss

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for esophageal stricture and gastroesophageal reflux disease due to a failure to obtain a medical opinion regarding the latter condition. The claim will be reconsidered after obtaining such an opinion.

stricture of esophagus · gastroesophageal reflux disease

The Board dismissed the appeals regarding service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and gastroesophageal reflux disease due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) · gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)

The Veteran's tinnitus and erectile dysfunction are granted service connection, while hypertension is remanded. The decision also denies a compensable rating for migraine headaches.

tinnitus · erectile dysfunction · hypertension

The Board denied service connection for a heart disability, finding that the Veteran's current heart diagnoses are not related to his military service.

Heart disability

The Board has granted a disability rating of 70 percent for the Veteran's PTSD, effective from June 30, 2022. The criteria for this rating have been met based on the severity and frequency of the Veteran's symptoms.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

The Board has decided to remand the cases for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's current right and left knee disabilities are related to his service. The examiner will need to diagnose any existing knee conditions and provide an opinion on whether these conditions are at least as likely as not incurred in or related to his military service.

right knee strain or sprain · left knee strain or sprain

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with persistent depressive disorder and insomnia.

obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) · posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with persistent depressive disorder and insomnia