Other conditions decisions — 2002

The Board dismissed the appeal because the veteran died during the pendency of the appeal, and therefore has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of the claim.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a lung mass in the left upper lobe, an increased rating for shrapnel wound residuals with pleural cavity injury, and TDIU. The lung mass was found to be unrelated to his service-connected pleural cavity injury and not due to any disease or event that occurred during service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral knee disorders, but denied the request for an earlier effective date. The veteran's claim was reopened in July 1997 and he is now entitled to benefits as of that date.

The Board has determined that the reduction in the veteran's 100% disability rating for osteomyelitis of the left tibia was proper, and he is now rated at 20%. The evidence shows sustained improvement in his condition.

The Board has determined that the veteran's chronic pulmonary disability, including bronchiectasis, is not related to his service-connected Barrett's esophagitis and therefore cannot be granted secondary service connection. The Board also found no direct link between the veteran's active service and his current lung condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for genital herpes, finding that it did not have its onset in service and there was no evidence to support a finding of aggravation or incurrence during service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for alcohol abuse, finding that she does not currently suffer from chronic alcohol abuse as a residual of her military service.

The VA has granted service connection for adenocarcinoma of the prostate, post radical prostatectomy due to exposure to Agent Orange. However, it did not assign a compensable evaluation as the veteran's condition does not meet the criteria for a noncompensable rating.

The veteran incurred additional disability of the left upper extremity as a result of VA medical treatment in August 1991, and this decision grants benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not suffer from current chronic right eye disability manifested by photophobia and therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.

The Board denied the appellant's claim of entitlement to service connection for the cause of her husband's death, finding no competent medical evidence linking any of the veteran's diagnoses (including his service-connected disabilities) to his military service.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of her husband's death due to lack of evidence linking his terminal cancer to his service-connected disabilities. The appellant was also denied improved death pension benefits as her income exceeded the maximum allowable amount.

The veteran is eligible for VA outpatient dental treatment due to service-connected dental trauma of teeth numbered 6, 7, 8, and 9.

The Board found that the reduction of the evaluation for obsessive compulsive disorder from 50 percent to 10 percent was proper, based on the current mild impairment and no significant loss of social or occupational functioning.

The Board has denied reopening the claim of service connection for a disorder manifested by back, neck, and chest pain due to lack of new and material evidence. The appellant's submitted medical records are considered cumulative.

The Board found that the submitted evidence was not new and material, thus declining to reopen the previously denied claim of service connection for a right testicular disorder. The appellant's statements and clinical records were considered insufficient to establish a link between his current condition and military service.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for the veteran's service-connected compression fracture of T11-12, finding that the current evaluation adequately reflects his disability.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for antecubital vein, left, and excision cavernous hemangioma, subcutaneous tissue of the thorax due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board denied the veteran's request to restore his entitlement to used portion of home loan guaranty benefits due to a loss incurred by VA, and no conditions for restoration were met.

The veteran's appeal for an increased evaluation for a left cornea laceration was denied as his corrected visual acuity in the non-service connected right eye is normal, and his corrected visual acuity in the service-connected left eye is no worse than 20/40.