Other conditions decisions — 2005

The Board found that the veteran's current skin condition did not develop during service and is not related to any incident of service. The evidence does not show a chronic skin disorder in service, nor was there an increase in severity during service. As such, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Board has granted service connection for emphysema, finding that the condition is directly related to the veteran's military service.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for residuals of right hernia repair and meralgia paresthetica, right thigh, associated with the right hernia repair are denied as there is no evidence that warrants a rating in excess of the currently assigned evaluations.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings were granted, with a rating of 10 percent assigned for the right arm and right femur injuries.

The veteran's disability compensation benefits were reduced from 100% to 10%, effective April 18, 1999 due to incarceration. The RO is instructed to verify the actual date of the veteran's felony conviction and reassess whether the reduction was proper.

The veteran seeks service connection for facial and head pain, which he claims is secondary to his service-connected myofascial pain syndrome of the lumbosacral spine. The case requires additional development including obtaining SSA records and a VA medical examination.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected Crohn's disease was denied as the current 30 percent rating is not higher than what is available under VA's disability evaluation guidelines.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that lung cancer was not related to military service or a service-connected disability.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for reinstatement of VA death benefits as the surviving spouse of her deceased husband due to a lack of new and material evidence, despite her claims that she had not remarried since his death.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and further review is required.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for his left hand fragment wound with a fifth metacarpal fracture, currently rated at 10 percent. The evidence did not show that the disability presented an unusual or exceptional picture.

The veteran withdrew his appeal, so the case is dismissed.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 30 percent rating for weak feet with painful callosities, finding that no increase in disability occurred prior to July 29, 1998.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for residuals of cold weather injury of the upper and lower extremities have been granted, with evaluations ranging from 10 to 30 percent.

The Board denied the appellant's request to reopen her claim for service connection for the cause of death, finding that no new and material evidence had been submitted.

The Board has determined that the veteran's nasal fracture does not warrant a compensable rating as it results in less than the required obstruction of the nasal passage.

The VA determined that the veteran's service-connected residuals of a shell fragment wound (SFW) to the right foot with deformity do not warrant an increased rating beyond the current 30 percent, as his condition does not meet the criteria for more severe impairment.

The VA has determined that the appellant is entitled to payment for 6 credit units in the Fall of 2002 and 3 credit units in the Spring of 2003, based on the courses required for his educational objective.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a low back disorder attributable to his military service and that this disability is not proximately due to or the result of his service-connected Parkinson's disease or service-connected degenerative joint disease (DJD) of the knees. As such, the claim for service connection for a low back disorder has been denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's nicotine dependence began during his military service and is granted service connection for this condition.