Other conditions decisions — 2006

The Board found that a skin disability was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service, including presumed herbicide exposure. The veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD is addressed separately and remanded.

The Board finds that the veteran's cause of death was not related to his service, including exposure to Agent Orange and/or lymphoma. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that the veteran's condition began in service or is linked to his service.

The Board found that the veteran's hip disorder is not related to his service or a service-connected disability, and thus denied his claim.

The Board denied the veteran's request for an increased rating for his service-connected claw feet (pes cavus), currently evaluated at 10 percent, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection as there is no evidence of a current skin disability that is related to his inservice condition.

The VA denied the appellant's claim to reopen her forfeiture of benefits, stating that the evidence submitted was not new and material.

The Board found that the deceased serviceman's discharge was under other than honorable conditions due to willful and persistent misconduct, which constitutes a bar to VA benefits.

The veteran is seeking service connection for myocardial infarction, which he claims is related to his herpetic keratitis and Agent Orange exposure. The Board has determined that additional development is needed before a decision can be made.

The veteran died of pneumonia and a cerebral vascular accident. The death was not due to a service-connected disability, he had no pending claims at the time of his death, and he did not meet any other criteria for VA burial benefits.

The Board has determined that additional procedural and substantive development is necessary before the claim of entitlement to VA nonservice-connected death pension benefits can be adjudicated. The appellant was not provided with adequate notice under VCAA, and her period(s) of service must be verified by a United States service department.

The veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for urticaria and angioedema is being remanded due to the need for additional examination, notification, and development.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for VA death benefits as a matter of law due to her not being considered a 'child' and her deceased father lacking status as a veteran.

The Board has ordered a new medical opinion to determine if the care provided at Mercy San Juan Hospital was for emergent or non-emergent services and whether VA facilities were available.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for tongue cancer and colon cancer, as well as his secondary service connection claims for hearing loss, teeth degeneration, and fractures of the right ankle and toe. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to active service or any incident therein.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right foot disorder, primarily manifested by calluses and pain related thereto, does not warrant a rating in excess of 20 percent.

The Board found that the reduction of the 100 percent rating for postoperative malignant fibrous histiocytoma, Muscle Group XIV from March 31, 1998 to February 1, 2003 was not proper as there was no actual change in the disability and the veteran's residuals were still significant.

The Board has determined that the veteran's death was caused by cardiac arrhythmia and acute myocardial infarction, due to arteriosclerosis, which is service-connected.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a medical opinion regarding whether the veteran's esophageal cancer was related to his service or exposure to Agent Orange.

The Board found that the cause of death was not service-connected and denied both the claim for service connection for the cause of death and the DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased disability rating for his right index finger and TDIU, finding that the current 10 percent rating adequately compensates his service-connected condition.