Other conditions decisions — 2006

The veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a chronic skin disorder, finding that there was no evidence of direct service connection and noting that tinea (a diagnosed condition) was not related to active military service or Agent Orange exposure.

The Board found no evidence of a current right eye disability related to service, and denied the veteran's claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's preexisting back disability, including multiple compression fractures of the thoracic spine, was aggravated during service and is currently manifested by arthritis of the thoracic spine. Therefore, service connection for a back disability, to include degenerative joint disease of the thoracolumbar spine, is granted.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA examination to determine if the veteran's current ulcer disability is related to service or the in-service appendectomy.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA dental examination to determine if the veteran's current bilateral jaw disability is related to service trauma. The veteran will be provided an opportunity to respond.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development due to missing service medical records and personnel records.

The Board has determined that the veteran's defective vision in the right eye is due to refractive error and not related to service or any service-connected disability. The loss of vision in the left eye, caused by total retinal detachment, is also unrelated to service or any service-connected condition. Therefore, service connection for these conditions cannot be granted.

The Board has determined that the evidence submitted since the final September 1988 denial is not new and material, thus denying the appellant's claim to reopen her service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of an upper right eyelid laceration, chronic throat condition, and tinnitus. The claim for a painful scar on his nose is being remanded due to lack of evidence of current disability. The claim for DJD of the left knee is also being remanded as there is insufficient evidence linking it to service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for right bundle branch block and mild right atrial, right ventricular and inferior vena cava dilation (cardiovascular disability) as well as his claim for hematuria. The evidence does not support a current diagnosis of any of these conditions.

The Board found that the veteran's acute myelocytic leukemia was not incurred in, aggravated by, or related to active service and did not meet the criteria for presumptive service connection due to exposure to ionizing radiation. As a result, the claim for service connection was denied.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for glomerulonephritis was denied as there is no current evidence of functional impairment due to the condition.

The Board denied service connection for left hemiparesis with hemiatrophy, concluding that the condition preexisted service and was not aggravated by military service.

The Board found that the veteran's current low back disability is congenital in origin and not incurred during service. Therefore, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that the duodenal ulcer disability was neither the principal nor a contributory cause of his death. The fatal conditions (septic shock, ARDS, and acute renal failure) were not linked to the veteran's military service.

The Board has granted the veteran's claim for service connection for a chronic skin disorder due to Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has granted a 60 percent rating for the service-connected sickle cell anemia, which more nearly approximates symptoms precluding other than light manual labor.

The Board has determined that the veteran's retinal detachment and related issues are not due to VA care, but rather predated the September 2000 procedure. The Board finds no additional disability resulting from VA treatment.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected disabilities did not cause or contribute substantially to his death from congestive heart failure due to atrial fibrillation and CLL. The claim for accrued benefits in excess of $2,437 is also denied.