Other conditions decisions — 2002

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected degenerative joint disease of the right and left knees, finding that the current evaluations adequately reflect the severity of his disabilities.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for VA benefits as a helpless child of a veteran due to his current marriage, which disqualifies him from being considered a 'child' under VA regulations.

The veteran's claim for unreimbursed medical expenses from April 1994 to December 1994 was denied because the report of these expenses was not submitted within the required timeframe.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of wounds to his right leg, finding that there is no evidence linking any current disability to his in-service injuries.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for nonservice connected pension benefits, finding that December 18, 1996 was the earliest submission by the veteran indicating he sought entitlement to such benefits.

The Board denied the claim of service connection for the cause of the veteran's death as due to Agent Orange exposure, finding that there was no positive association between exposure to herbicides and acute myeloblastic leukemia.

The veteran's skin disorder was first manifested during her active duty service and is considered to have been incurred therein. The Board granted the claim for service connection on a direct basis.

The VA has denied the veteran's claims for higher evaluations for his service-connected degenerative joint disease of both ankles, finding that the evidence does not support an evaluation in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a dental condition, finding that his current dental conditions are noncompensable and do not meet eligibility criteria for VA outpatient treatment.

The VA granted the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for residuals of a right ring finger injury and assigned a noncompensable (0 percent) disability rating, which was later increased to 10 percent effective January 1997.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the appellant's claim for service connection for a skin disorder, which was previously denied in February 1998. The decision will now proceed with additional development on the issue of entitlement to service connection for a skin disorder.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected deformity of the nose, including a deviated nasal septum, warrants a 10% disability evaluation.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for impotence, finding that it was not incurred or aggravated by his military service and could not be presumed to have been caused by Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has determined that the veteran's immature personality disorder, which was noted during service, is not a disability for VA compensation purposes and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's appeal for an increased rating for his service-connected cervical spine disability was dismissed as the veteran withdrew his appeal with respect to this issue.

The Board denied a claim for an increased rating for the service-connected residuals of a cholecystectomy, finding that there were no current symptoms and concluding that a disability evaluation in excess of 10 percent is not warranted.

The Board has determined that the veteran's residuals of a hairline fracture of the third metatarsal of the left foot are manifested by tenderness on palpation and subjective complaints of pain, warranting an initial 10 percent rating.

The Board has determined that further action is needed to determine if the overpayment was due solely to VA administrative error, and will be remanded for this purpose.

The Board found that new and material evidence was not submitted to reopen the claims for residuals of measles and residuals of an upper respiratory infection, as there is no medical opinion linking current lung disorders to service. The RO's decisions were therefore final.

The Board found that the veteran's lymph node disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by service and could not be presumed to have resulted from herbicide exposure. The claim for service connection was denied.