Other conditions decisions — 2003

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current bilateral leg disorder and therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.

The Board found no evidence of a current disability associated with loss of buttock muscles or increased bowel dysfunction as a result of VA treatment for a decubitus ulcer.

The Board found that the veteran was at fault in creating the overpayment due to his failure to accurately report his financial status. The Board determined that collection of the debt would not deprive him of basic necessities and concluded that he had means with which to repay the overpayment.

The Board has determined that the veteran's actinic keratosis of the left cheek and its residuals are related to his military service, granting him service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for macular degeneration of the left eye, finding that the condition was not related to his military service and was due to age.

The Board has determined that the veteran's pension benefits should not be apportioned to his spouse due to lack of reasonable support contributions and because an overall reduction in benefits would cause undue hardship.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for status post operative left atrial myxoma and residuals of multiple brain infarcts, finding that there was no evidence of such conditions in service or within one year following separation. The Board also found that any current conditions are not related to service.

The Board denied the appellant's request for an earlier effective date of March 1, 2000, which is when her reopened claim was received. The decision states that this is the earliest allowable effective date under applicable law.

The Board has ordered further development due to pending issues regarding the veteran's increased disability rating for loss of the right deltoid muscle. The case is now remanded back to the RO for additional examination and consideration.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation for residuals of left tibia fracture, finding that there was no current disability related to his service-connected condition.

The Board has granted service connection for the residuals of a fall manifested by a skull fracture and a right clavicle fracture, finding that these conditions are proximately due to or the result of the veteran's service-connected back disability.

The Board has ordered further development due to pending issues and requested evidence. The case is now remanded for additional development, including obtaining service medical records and arranging for a VA examination.

The veteran's claim for a compensable rating for service-connected otitis media externa, suppurative is being remanded due to the need for additional development and consideration of all evidence received since the March 2002 statement of the case.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for additional development of the record, including notification requirements under the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000.

The Board found no current gastrointestinal disability for VA purposes and denied the veteran's claims of service connection for a gastrointestinal disability as due to an undiagnosed illness.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims of service connection for a prostate disorder, cholinergic urticaria, and athlete's foot. The evidence does not support current diagnoses or show that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by service.

The veteran's colon perforation and subsequent treatment were not caused by VA negligence or carelessness, resulting in denial of compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The veteran's claim for an increased disability evaluation for his service-connected status callus left heel, residuals of skin graft is being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and development.

The VA has denied an increased evaluation for the veteran's sleep disorder, as his condition does not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on chronic respiratory failure or cor pulmonale. The current 50% evaluation is deemed adequate.

The Board dismissed the appeal because the veteran was not seeking to reopen his claim for service connection for residuals of a left hand injury, but rather sought service connection for disability of his left wrist. The RO has been referred to address this new issue.