Other conditions decisions — 2003

The Board found that the veteran's right hand stab wound residuals do not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation, as they do not demonstrate ankylosis or other disabling conditions warranting a higher rating.

The Board found that the veteran does not have current diagnoses of heat exhaustion, fluid retention, fatigue, or profuse sweating. The sleep disorder is also determined to be unrelated to service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of frozen feet, finding no evidence of current disability and insufficient medical nexus to link any diagnosed foot conditions to service.

The Board has found that the veteran's mood disorder is related to his military service and granted service connection for this condition.

The veteran's stomach disorder, diagnosed as peptic ulcer disease, gastritis, and a hiatal hernia, was found to be incurred in service.

The VA denied an increased evaluation for mechanical back pain, finding that the veteran's disability did not meet criteria warranting a higher rating.

The Board has granted the veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of an injury to his left index finger, finding that the evidence supports a link between the current condition and his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's self-inflicted gunshot wounds to the right lower extremity are secondary to his service-connected PTSD and grants entitlement to service connection for these residuals.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to additional evidence received since the May 2002 Supplemental Statement of the Case. The veteran's claim remains denied, and a new SSOC will be issued.

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death, and the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of the claim.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence was submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for a lung disorder, characterized as emphysema. After considering all available evidence, including a VA pulmonary examination report, the Board finds in favor of granting service connection for the veteran's emphysema.

The veteran's claim for a compensable rating for malaria remains in denied status after additional development. The case is being remanded to the RO for further consideration of all evidence.

The Board has dismissed the appeal as the appellant did not timely file a Substantive Appeal regarding the overpayment of education benefits.

The Board has granted increased ratings for the veteran's degenerative joint disease of both knees, but only to a maximum of 20 percent.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected traumatic arthritis of the left and right knees were denied as there was no evidence to support a rating in excess of the current assigned disability ratings.

The veteran's claim for monetary benefits for birth defects in his children, claimed as a residual of his exposure to Agent Orange during service, is denied because there is no medical evidence showing that the children have spina bifida.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to an absence of error of fact or law, as the July 2002 and February 2003 rating decisions granted the benefits sought on appeal.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection of myasthenia gravis, finding that there was no evidence linking his current condition to service. The VA examiner concluded that the currently diagnosed ocular myasthenia is not related to service.

The veteran's appeal on the issue of entitlement to an effective date earlier than January 12, 1998, for a grant of separate ratings for cold injuries of the hands and feet was improperly dismissed. The Board granted service connection for HIV but dismissed other issues.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for separate ratings of cold injuries of the hands and feet, finding that such a grant cannot be made prior to January 12, 1998 due to the effective date of the amended regulation.