Other conditions decisions — 2004

The Board dismissed the veteran's appeal because his substantive appeal was not timely filed within one year of notification of the November 1998 rating decision.

The Board has determined that the veteran's sacroiliac disorder, diagnosed as coccydynia and degenerative joint disease at L5-S1, was incurred in active service.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to a lack of timely filing of a substantive appeal, and thus has no jurisdiction over the issues.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of June 10, 1991, for additional compensation based on recognition of a dependent child is being remanded due to incomplete notification and development.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for service connection due to missing medical records and incomplete information.

The Board found no evidence of a current diagnosis of gall bladder disease and concluded that the veteran's gall bladder disease did not begin in service or is otherwise related to service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's residuals of benign enchondroma with a stress fracture of the left femoral neck, to include post-operative residuals, warrant an initial noncompensable (i.e., 0 percent) rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current multiple myeloma is of service origin and grants service connection for this condition. The issue regarding an increased evaluation for asbestosis is remanded to the RO.

The veteran's claims for service connection for alcohol abuse and cerebellar ataxia were denied as the law precludes direct service connection for alcohol-related disorders.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for service connection for bunions, bilateral feet, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen a previously denied claim.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for a 10% rating for calculus of the right ureter, finding that no informal claim was filed prior to May 20, 1998.

The Board denied an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for prolapsed rectum with fecal soiling, and the issues regarding GERD, depression, and tension headaches were also denied.

The Board finds that the veteran's cause of death, acute myocardial infarction and coronary athesclerosis, was not caused by or substantially contributed to by his period of active duty service. The claim for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 is also denied as there is no causal relationship between the cause of death and any service-connected disability.

The veteran's initial claim for a right testicle spermatocele, post-right epididymectomy, was granted with a noncompensable disability evaluation. The Board found that his left knee disorder is related to service and granted service connection. However, the veteran does not have thrombophlebitis of the left leg or superficial phlebitis of the left leg attributable to military service.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for a skin disorder due to Agent Orange exposure and an initial disability evaluation in excess of 30 percent for service-connected neurosis. The appeal is addressed further in the REMAND portion.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, characterized as dementia/organic brain syndrome, and entitlement to accrued benefits due to lack of a proper party status.

The Board found that the veteran does not have residuals of head trauma involving memory loss and inability to read/write as a result of service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a right testicle disorder and a skin disability, finding no competent medical evidence to support these claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased disability ratings for her service-connected foot disabilities, finding that they did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected heel stress fractures do not warrant a rating higher than 10 percent, as the medical evidence does not support an increase in disability.