Other conditions decisions — 2005

The Board dismissed the appeal as the appellant withdrew her request for a hearing and indicated that she had already settled the issue by paying $5,000.

The veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Strong Memorial Hospital for treatment of an acute inferior wall injury are being remanded due to the need for VCAA notice and additional development, including obtaining relevant records from United Memorial Medical Center.

The veteran's claim for payment of unauthorized medical expenses incurred in September 2003 at a private hospital was denied as the evidence did not meet all the conditions required under VA regulations.

The Board has determined that the medical evidence supports a finding of service connection for residuals of a gynecological disorder, which is granted.

The VA has denied an increased evaluation for the veteran's spontaneous pneumothorax, right, currently rated at 30 percent.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for further development due to a lost claims folder, and the veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a right thumb injury is currently before the Board.

The Board has determined that the veteran's loss of hair and teeth are not service connected, as there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service or herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and requests for additional evidence.

The veteran's skin disability is being remanded for further examination and development due to conflicting medical opinions regarding its etiology. The claim will be reconsidered based on the current body of knowledge.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his right rib disability, finding that the evidence did not support a higher evaluation under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of dental trauma is denied as there is no evidence to support a nexus between his current dental disability and military service.

The Board denied an increased rating for post-operative residuals of retinal tear of the left eye, finding that the veteran's vision was okay and did not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The Board has determined that additional records are needed to determine if the veteran's service-connected right tibial osteomyelitis contributed to his death from respiratory failure due to squamous cell lung cancer.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for recognition as the veteran's surviving spouse, finding that she did not meet the legal definition of a surviving spouse due to her divorce from the veteran and lack of evidence of remarriage.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to determine if the veteran's pre-existing low back pathology was aggravated by service.

The VA granted a 10 percent rating for the veteran's partial amputation of the right thumb tip, effective May 13, 2004.

The Board found that the veteran did not serve in Vietnam and thus was not entitled to a presumption of Agent Orange exposure. The claim for service connection for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, which is not associated with any presumptive conditions due to Agent Orange exposure, was denied as there is no evidence linking the condition to his military service.

The Board found that the veteran's stomach carcinoma and colitis, which led to his death in 1989, were not caused by or related to his service-connected duodenal ulcer disease. The Board concluded that there was no evidence of a causal relationship between these conditions.

The Board found that the veteran's postoperative residuals of duodenal and gastric ulcers did not meet the criteria for a disability evaluation in excess of 40 percent, as his symptoms were characterized by mild to moderate distress rather than severe impairment.

The Board has remanded this case due to a failure to issue a Statement of the Case (SOC) and will further consider the propriety of apportioning the veteran's VA benefits to his spouse, children, and himself.