Real decisions, in plain English

The Veteran's service-connected GAD is rated at 30 percent since September 25, 2024. The rating was granted based on the severity of his symptoms during this period.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

The Veteran's cause of death was determined to be motor neuron disease with respiratory failure. The Board found that the Veteran had an ALS diagnosis and granted service connection for his cause of death, as it resulted from a motor neuron disorder.

Motor neuron disease · ALS

The Veteran's asthma is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.,The Veteran's sleep apnea claim has been remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.

Asthma · Sleep Apnea

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy and remanded his claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

right lower extremity radiculopathy · bilateral hearing loss

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development related to toxic exposure claims, specifically jet fuel and asbestos exposure. The AOJ must determine if the Veteran participated in any TERA (Toxic Exposure Risk Activity) based on his service duties and locations.

right lung mass · left pulmonary nodules

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and evaluations.

thrombosis/transient ischemic attack · cerebral infarction status post cerebral vascular accident · cognitive dysfunction

The Board has granted service connection for pulmonary embolism as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected status post spigelian herniorrhaphy, finding that the surgery increased her risk of developing a pulmonary embolism.

pulmonary embolism

The Board denied service connection for all eight claimed conditions, finding that the evidence did not support a nexus between the Veteran's current diagnoses and his military service.

Right Shoulder Disorder · Left Shoulder Disorder · Right Elbow Disorder · Left Elbow Disorder · Right Hand Disorder · Left Hand Disorder · Right Ankle Disorder · Left Ankle Disorder

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate opinion regarding service connection for adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and mood, specifically related to secondary service connection to tinnitus. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered with a new medical opinion.

adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and mood

The Veteran's bladder and GERD disabilities are remanded due to duty-to-assist errors, including the need for VA examinations and additional medical records.

Bladder · Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)

The Veteran's initial rating for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease was denied, and his claims for right knee, left knee, right hand, left hand, GERD, neck disability, and bilateral hearing loss were also denied. The effective date of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea was granted on December 14, 2022.

lumbar spine degenerative disc disease · unspecified anxiety disorder with alcohol use disorder and cannabis use disorder (anxiety disorder) · tension headaches

The Veteran's asthma is currently rated as 10 percent disabling, and the Board finds that this rating adequately compensates his service-connected condition.

Asthma

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for lumbosacral spine degenerative arthritis and right hip degenerative arthritis, status post total hip arthroplasty, secondary to service-connected bilateral knee disabilities due to incomplete etiological opinions.

lumbosacral spine degenerative arthritis · right hip degenerative arthritis, status post total hip arthroplasty

The Board denied service connection for a shoulder condition, bilateral knee condition, and right hip condition. The Veteran's claims were based on current diagnoses of these conditions but the evidence did not support an in-service injury or disease.,The Board also noted that there was no nexus between the current disabilities and service due to lack of in-service complaints or injuries.

shoulder condition · bilateral knee condition · right hip condition · rheumatoid arthritis (hip)

The Veteran's claim for a rating greater than 40 percent for his low back disability was denied, and the Board granted entitlement to TDIU based solely on service-connected low back disability.

L2-3 laminectomy and L2 hemilaminectomy with L5-S1 decompression · failed back syndrome

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Meniere's disease was denied as there is no diagnosis of the condition in his medical records. His hearing loss, rated non-compensable, remains a valid issue.,The Veteran's left ear hearing loss continues to be rated non-compensably disabling.

Meniere's disease · Left ear hearing loss

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for athletes' foot, low back strain, and plantar fasciitis due to a lack of a VA examination prior to the August 2020 rating decision.

athletes' foot · low back strain · plantar fasciitis

The Veteran's daughter, S., is awarded dependency benefits based on school attendance from August 4, 2023 to December 15, 2023; and from August 21, 2024 to May 15, 2025.

Education

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for injury of unspecified nerve at ankle and foot level, left leg, subsequent encounter and left ankle impingement with left ankle mass have been denied as the evidence does not support a rating in excess of the current assigned evaluations.

Injury of unspecified nerve at ankle and foot level, left leg, subsequent encounter · Left ankle impingement with left ankle mass

The Board has denied a compensable rating for the scar of the left knee and remanded the claims for increased ratings for the left ankle disability and TDIU. The case is being returned to the AOJ for further development.

scar, residual of left knee meniscectomy · achilles tendonitis of the left ankle