Other conditions decisions — 2004

The Board dismissed the appellant's appeal due to his death, and no specific rating or effective date was assigned.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected thoracic spine disability, currently evaluated at 20 percent.

The case is being remanded for further development to ensure all necessary evidence has been obtained and considered.

The Board has granted an initial rating of 30 percent for the veteran's service-connected residuals of facial trauma with multiple fractures, effective from January 1, 2004.

The Board has determined that the veteran's cavernous hemangioma of the liver in left hepatectomy status and a disorder manifested by back and right leg pain are not service-connected.

The Board found that the veteran's pre-existing hematuria was not aggravated by service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found no current diagnosis of a dermatological condition and denied the claim for service connection.

The veteran's son is not eligible for death pension benefits as an adult helpless child because his previous marriages are considered valid and do not meet the criteria for exception under VA regulations.

The appellant's deceased spouse did not have the required service to qualify for VA death pension benefits, and thus the appeal is denied.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for a compensable rating for his service-connected residuals of fractures of the second metatarsal of the left foot and the third metatarsal of the right foot, finding that there were no current residuals and attributing any current complaints to unrelated disorders.

The veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluations were denied. The Board found no current disability related to positive stress tests or peripheral vascular disease, and the effective date for major depression was not granted earlier than May 1, 2001.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, nor could it be presumed due to exposure to herbicides. The cause of death listed on his death certificate was metastatic small cell cancer of lung.

The Board has determined that the effective date for a 100 percent disability rating for schizoaffective disorder, bi-polar type is February 5, 2000.

The veteran's service-connected mid-line fracture of the left ulna and radius, with closed reduction and intramedullary nail transfixing, is rated at 20 percent. The associated scarring is rated at 10 percent.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a right foot ulcer is being remanded due to inadequate notification of the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000 (VCAA) and incomplete medical records.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for nonservice-connected pension benefits as he did not meet the basic eligibility requirements due to lack of wartime service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected GSW residuals contributed to his myocardial infarction and carcinoma of the lung, which were significant factors in causing his death. As a result, service connection for the cause of the veteran's death is granted.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of service connection for a malignant left testicular mass, finding that it was not incurred in or related to his military service.

The Board has granted a 60 percent rating for the veteran's residuals of laceration of the right arm with ulnar nerve impairment, finding that the disability picture more nearly approximates the criteria required for a 60 percent evaluation.

The Board has remanded the case due to the inextricably intertwined issues of whether there was clear and unmistakable error in a November 17, 1999 rating decision for multiple myeloma on an accrued benefits basis, and whether to reopen the issue of entitlement to an earlier effective date.