Hemorrhoids decisions — 2004

The Board has determined that the veteran's burn scars warrant a 30 percent disability evaluation, effective from August 1, 2002. The initial compensable rating for his hemorrhoids remains unchanged.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for an increased rating for his abdominal scar and to determine whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen his claim for service connection for hemorrhoids and anal fissure. The case will be returned to the RO for further development.

The Board denied increased disability ratings for the veteran's service-connected left knee disorder and hemorrhoids, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board found that there is no competent medical evidence showing a link between the veteran's gastrointestinal disorders and her military service, thus denying her claim for service connection.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hemorrhoids, chills, exposure to leeches on the stomach and legs, shrapnel wounds to the arm and legs, malaria, head injury, skin cancer, and tinea pedis (jungle rot of the feet), were denied as there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining updated medical records and scheduling VA examinations to determine the current severity of the service-connected disabilities at issue.

The Board has decided to further develop the evidence for the veteran's claim of service connection for glaucoma. The decision on the increased rating for hemorrhoids remains unchanged.

The Board finds that the veteran's right ear hearing loss is service-connected due to in-service noise exposure. The condition was not pre-existing and did not undergo a natural progression during service.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the veteran's death and found that the appellant is not entitled to Dependents' Educational Assistance benefits.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for further development due to issues related to his hemorrhoids, hearing loss, and lumbar strain. The appeals on whether a timely appeal was filed on the neck and arm disorder issues have been dismissed.

The veteran is disabled due to multiple conditions and requires regular aid and attendance, qualifying for special monthly pension benefits.

The veteran's claim for pension benefits was received on April 16, 2001. The effective date for the grant of a permanent and total disability rating for pension purposes is set at April 16, 2001, the date of receipt of his claim.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from engaging in substantially gainful employment, and thus a total disability rating based on individual unemployability is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for post traumatic headaches and assigned a rating of 100% effective from May 4, 2000. Service connection for hemorrhoids was not addressed in this decision.

The Board dismissed the veteran's appeal due to his death, and thus no service connection was granted for rectal cancer or hemorrhoids.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has ordered the case remanded for additional development and review, including obtaining medical records from various healthcare providers and scheduling a VA examination. The veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation for hemorrhoids remains pending.

The Board has determined that the veteran did not timely appeal the April 1996 decision denying his claim for a temporary total convalescent rating following hemorrhoid surgery in February 1996. The remaining claims of entitlement to increased ratings for postoperative residuals of chondromalacia of the right patella and postoperative hemorrhoids are being remanded for further development.

The veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer was denied, and his duodenal ulcer disease and hemorrhoids were continued at their current ratings. The issue of restoring a higher rating for the duodenal ulcer disease is pending.

The Board granted the veteran's claim for service connection for sarcoidosis and awarded a 100% evaluation for hypertension. The other issues were either withdrawn or dismissed.

The veteran's claims for higher initial disability ratings for his right knee injury, tension headaches with cervical pain, hemorrhoids, and allergic dermatitis were denied. The RO found that the evidence did not support a compensable rating for any of these conditions.