Other conditions decisions — 2003

The Board denied the appellant's claim as she is not considered the surviving spouse of the veteran for VA death benefits.

The Board has reopened the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death due to new and material evidence submitted since the last denial. However, it was determined that there is no causal relationship between any disability incurred in or aggravated by active service and the cause of the veteran's death.

The Board denied the appeal, finding that the veteran's marriage to the claimant was not valid for VA purposes due to legal impediments.

The Board denied increased evaluations for the veteran's right and left hand disabilities due to his failure to report for a scheduled VA examination.

The Board found that the veteran's pre-existing right foot disorder was not aggravated during service and denied her claim for service connection.

The veteran's unauthorized medical treatment at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center was denied reimbursement due to lack of prior authorization and the absence of a qualifying emergency.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for his second degree burn residuals of the back, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under either the old or new VA rating criteria.

The Board denied service connection for spondylolisthesis, finding that the condition was a congenital defect and not incurred or aggravated by active duty.

The Board found that the veteran's additional left eye disability is not due to VA carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment, or other fault. The decision concludes that compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for additional eye or vision disability cannot be granted.

The Board found that the appellant's discharge was due to willful and persistent misconduct, which constitutes a bar to certain VA benefits.

The Board denied an increased rating for the veteran's service-connected degenerative changes of the thoracic spine, finding that a higher rating was not warranted based on the evidence.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral eye disability, finding that his eye problems are developmental defects and thus not incurred in or aggravated by military service.

The veteran's appeal is dismissed due to his death.

The veteran's service-connected esophagitis/odynophagia is manifested by persistent recurrent dysphagia, pyrosis, and regurgitation, accompanied by substernal and arm pain; the severity and duration of such symptoms as demonstrated in the record are comparable to symptoms productive of considerable impairment of health. With resolution of all reasonable doubt in the veteran's favor, the criteria for a 30 percent rating have been met.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for cause of death, eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance under Chapter 35, and entitlement to VA death pension benefits due to various legal and factual reasons.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's death, as it has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this claim.

The Board determined that the veteran's service-connected bilateral varicoceles with infertility warranted an initial compensable rating prior to December 28, 1998 and a rating in excess of 10 percent from December 28, 1998. The claims were denied.

The Board found no evidence of a nexus between the veteran's current Raynaud's disease or phenomenon and his service, including an incident of frostbite. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for joint pain and swelling as a chronic disability resulting from an undiagnosed illness, with the condition rated at 10 percent.

The veteran's calluses of both feet are rated as 10 percent disabling under the analogous condition of bilateral anterior metatarsalgia.