Other conditions decisions — 2002

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of her appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board has granted an apportionment of the veteran's VA disability compensation benefits in the amount paid to him as dependency allowance for his three minor children, finding that he is not reasonably discharging his responsibility for their support.

The Board has determined that the veteran's esophageal ulcer with stenotic achalasia of the esophagus and intermittent reflex spasm of the esophageal cardiac junction does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board granted service connection for the deviated nasal septum and assigned a 10 percent disability rating. Service connection for tinnitus was also granted.

The Board has determined that the veteran's lung disorder, primarily identified as COPD, is secondary to his service-connected sinusitis/rhinitis and has been granted service connection for this condition.

The VA denied an increased evaluation for calcific granuloma of the right lung, finding no current active infection or disease.

The Board has granted service connection for mycosis fungoides effective from June 5, 1989. The veteran's claim was reopened based on new evidence submitted after the original denial in December 1980.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA) found that the appellant knowingly allowed her VA benefits check to be altered for fraudulent purposes and participated in its encashment, leading to forfeiture of all rights, claims, and benefits under laws administered by VA.

The veteran's claim for service connection for periodontal disease is denied as compensation benefits are not available under VA laws and regulations.

The Board has granted a 10 percent rating for the veteran's service-connected residuals of a fracture of the right fourth metacarpal, effective from August 1, 2001. The appeal regarding propriety of reduction to noncompensable was also granted.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for left varicocele, status post varicocelectomy. The evidence supports a finding that his pre-existing condition worsened during active service.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by any service-connected disability and denied the claim.

The Board has determined that the veteran's chronic diarrhea is proximately due to or the result of his service-connected PTSD and other psychiatric disorders, as well as poorly controlled diabetes mellitus. Therefore, the claim for service connection for chronic diarrhea is granted.

The Board found that the veteran's well-healed service-connected scar from the excision of a ganglion cyst has not resulted in limitation of function of the wrist or fingers, but he complained of numbness and discomfort. The Board granted an initial noncompensable disability evaluation for residuals of a right hand ganglion cyst excision.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as he failed to report for VA examinations scheduled in accordance with Board remands.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for service connection for inguinal hernia and cryptorchidism, finding that new evidence was not submitted to reopen the previously denied claims.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete medical records and need for further evaluation of the veteran's conditions, including his exposure during Operation CROSSROADS.

The Board denied an initial compensable evaluation for the service-connected residuals of bilateral epididymitis with secondary infertility and residual epididymal thickening, finding no basis to assign a compensable rating.

The VA denied an increased evaluation for meralgia paresthetica, right lateral cutaneous nerve, currently rated as 30 percent disabling.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for residuals of rheumatic fever is denied as the evidence does not support a compensable rating under any applicable diagnostic code.