Other conditions decisions — 2004

The Board found that the veteran's death was due to natural causes and not related to service, thus denying the claim for service connection for the cause of his death.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for a compensable evaluation for hypertrophic tonsils, service connection for gastroenteritis and residuals of dental trauma. The appeal is not about service connection at all.

The veteran's appeal is remanded to the RO for additional development, including obtaining records from VA and non-VA healthcare providers that have treated him for a left arm disorder since service. The veteran should be scheduled for an orthopedic examination to determine the nature of his left arm disorder and whether it is related to service or any event that occurred therein.

The veteran does not meet the basic eligibility requirements for VA nonservice-connected pension benefits due to insufficient qualifying service.

The Board found no positive test for HIV or any abnormal findings attributed to HIV or AIDS during active service. The veteran's claim was denied as there is no competent opinion linking HIV or AIDS to service.

The veteran's right eye Horner's syndrome was caused by treatment for his service-connected hemangioma, C7 vertebra. The claim is granted.

The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence is against the veteran's claim of entitlement to an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected recurrent left inguinal hernia with mesh repair. There is no current evidence of recurrence of the hernia.

The veteran claims service connection for injuries to his right leg sustained during active duty in Vietnam. However, the available records do not support this claim and additional development is needed to determine if there was an injury and its relationship to current disability.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the veteran's duodenal ulcer with hiatal hernia.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a skin disability, claimed as due to exposure to Agent Orange, is being remanded for further action.

The veteran is appealing for increased ratings for his service-connected right and left hallux valgus with degenerative changes. The RO has not yet adjudicated these claims, and a remand is necessary to ensure complete compliance with the VCAA.

The Board found no evidence of an anal fistula during the veteran's first period of service and insufficient evidence to establish aggravation. The second period of service did not show any increase in symptoms, thus denying service connection.

The Board has granted the veteran's claim of service connection for Raynaud's disease, finding that it is proximately due to or the result of his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the veteran's claims, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board granted service connection for a skin rash of both arms and assigned a noncompensable rating, effective from November 30, 2000. In October 2002, the RO awarded a 10 percent rating.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative spondylolisthesis of the spine, arthritis of the right knee, and arthritis of the left knee.,Evidence presented by the veteran supports a finding that his current back condition, bilateral knee conditions, and parachute jumping activities in service are related.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at a private hospital on September 26, 2000, and October 7, 2000. The decision found that prior authorization was not obtained as required by VA regulations, and that none of the criteria for reimbursement under VA regulations were met.

The Board denied reopening the claim for service connection for the cause of death due to lack of new and material evidence.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for further action, including obtaining SSA records and scheduling a VA examination. The case will be returned to the Board if necessary.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a right foot disorder, claimed as residuals of a fracture, is dismissed because the issue has been resolved by granting service connection for degenerative joint disease of the right foot.