Other conditions decisions — 2003

The VA determined that the veteran's pleural disease, claimed as due to asbestos exposure, was not incurred in or aggravated by his active military service.

The Board found no current residual disability involving the nose, to include a sinus disorder, resulting from an inservice nose injury and denied the claim for service connection.

The Board finds that the veteran's current thoracic spine disability was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service.

The Board has granted an increased rating of 30 percent for the veteran's service-connected residuals of bilateral frozen feet, effective from March 20, 1995 to January 11, 1998. Separate ratings of 20 percent have been assigned for each foot since January 12, 1998.

The veteran's service connection for loss of erectile power was restored to a 20 percent evaluation effective June 11, 1997. The VA found that the veteran had diarrhea due to food intolerance and presbyopia as a developmental disorder.

The Board found that the veteran's testicular disorder did not manifest functional limitation of the testicle, and thus denied his claim for an initial compensable evaluation.

The VA has denied the veteran's claim for a disability evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected chronic back pain, finding that the condition is principally manifested by complaints of pain and slight limitation of motion.

The Board has granted a 30 percent evaluation for the service-connected dysthymic disorder, which is more than the initial 10 percent assigned in March 2001. The disability picture shows intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks due to symptoms such as depressed mood and anxiety.

The Board found that the veteran's basal cell carcinoma was not incurred in or aggravated by active service, including exposure to ionizing radiation. The evidence did not support a finding of service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection due to frostbite, finding that there was no clear and unmistakable error in the September 1945 and October 1946 rating decisions denying service connection. The RO reopened the veteran's claim on August 20, 1996, and granted service connection with an effective date of August 20, 1996.

The Board denied an increased disability rating for prostatitis, currently assigned a 10 percent evaluation.

The Board found that the veteran's current dental conditions, involving treatable carious teeth and replaceable missing teeth, are not compensable disabilities under VA's Rating Schedule and are not due to service trauma or combat service. Therefore, his claim for service connection for a dental condition was denied.

The veteran's service-connected left ankle fracture resulted in a current disability, but the eye and hearing loss claims were denied as there was no evidence of current disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his postoperative residuals of left radius and ulna fractures, finding that he does not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on nonunion or additional limitation of motion.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for service connection for emphysema as a result of herbicide exposure, finding that there was no evidence of such condition during service or within the presumptive period. The Board also noted that the veteran had not appealed the May 1979 denial and thus it became final.

The veteran's heart disorder, characterized by shortness of breath, angina, fatigue, dizziness, and left ventricular dysfunction with an ejection fraction greater than 40 percent but less than 50 percent, warrants a 60 percent disability rating under the criteria for atrioventricular block.

The appeal has been dismissed as the appellant withdrew their appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board found that the appellant's pension benefits were properly and timely reduced based on his income from 1986 to 1996, with no errors in the computation or application of VA regulations.

The Board has granted a rating of 10 percent for the veteran's residuals of tonsillectomy, finding that his throat pain is analogous to chronic laryngitis.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a hip disorder due to lack of medical evidence showing a current disability and no in-service injury.