Other conditions decisions — 2005

The Board has granted the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of cold injury to both his right and left lower extremities, finding that exposure in service is presumed due to his combat status.

The Board has dismissed the appeal because the appellant died during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to issues related to authorization and payment of medical expenses incurred by the veteran in May 2003.

The veteran's request for service connection for breast cancer is being remanded due to her request for a Board hearing.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for an effective date prior to March 7, 2002 for the grant of service connection for cause of the veteran's death. The earliest date that entitlement to service connection for cause of the veteran's death arose was in March 24, 2003 when a VA received a letter linking the veteran's service-connected respiratory disorder to his death.

The Board has dismissed the appeal as the appellant withdrew their appeal through their authorized representative.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral cataracts and retinal detachment of the left eye, concluding that these conditions were not incurred or aggravated during service.

The Board finds that the veteran's multiple systemic atrophy, olivopontine cerebellar degeneration is related to his in-service exposure to herbicides and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the appellant may be recognized as the veteran's surviving spouse for VA benefit purposes.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an effective date prior to January 28, 1987 for a grant of service connection for bilateral blindness with light perception only due to glaucoma and function loss. The decision found that the preponderance of evidence did not support an earlier effective date.

The appellant's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at the RO.

The VA denied the appellant's claim to reopen her previously denied service connection for the cause of her husband's death, finding that new and material evidence had not been received. The cause of death was determined to be beri-beri (adult), which is not related to service.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations for residuals of frozen feet were denied. The RO confirmed and continued the existing ratings, with no changes in evaluation.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected right eye disability and any current left eye disorder. The case will be returned to the Board after completion of this development.

The Board has granted service connection for arteriosclerosis cardiovascular disease, finding that the condition is directly related to active duty service.

The veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral keratoconus was denied as there is no evidence of a disease or injury during service, and the condition did not manifest within the applicable presumptive period. The Board found that the preponderance of the evidence was against the claim.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected skin disability, manifested by actinic keratoses with residuals of basal cell carcinoma, does not warrant a rating in excess of 10 percent under either the old or new VA rating criteria.

The veteran's appeal is remanded due to procedural issues, and his claims for increased rating and earlier effective date are still pending.

The Board has granted a rating of 20 percent for the residuals (musculoskeletal) of a calcified right arm hematoma, based on functional limitations. A separate rating in excess of 10 percent for a residual surgical scar as secondary to the right arm hematoma is not warranted.

The Board found that the veteran's basal cell carcinoma was not caused by his time in service, and denied his claim for service connection.