Other conditions decisions — 2006

The Board has determined that the appellant did not have valid service for VA benefit purposes and therefore denied their claim for basic eligibility for VA pension benefits.

The Board has ordered additional development to obtain medical records from the Northwestern Skilled Nursing Home in Berea, Ohio, where the veteran died. The case will be returned for further review after these records are obtained.

The Board found that the veteran's congestive heart failure was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service, and it is not proximately due to or the result of his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The veteran's urticaria is granted a 10% evaluation effective August 30, 2002. Service connection for residuals of laceration to the left fourth finger and arthritis of multiple joints (claimed as polyarthralgia) are denied.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability and denied both his claim for service connection for the cause of his death and his eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his service-connected neurasthenia was granted, with a rating of 10 percent effective January 23, 2001. The issue of service connection for neuropathy in the right lower extremity remains pending.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection is without legal merit, as there was no pending claim prior to August 12, 2002.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 40 percent for prostatitis with history of cystitis, as his symptoms did not warrant such an increase.

The Board has determined that the veteran's neck disorder is not related to his service, including a motorcycle accident during service. As such, the claim for service connection is denied.

The appellant is not entitled to higher DIC rate for a surviving spouse with dependent children as the effective date of her DIC award does not meet the legal requirements.

The appellant's income for the period from December 1, 2001 through November 30, 2002 exceeded the maximum income limit set for eligibility for improved death pension benefits.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for loss of upper jaw teeth, finding that there is no evidence of dental trauma or lost teeth during service and noting a complete absence of chronicity of symptomatology over 40 years after separation.

The Board found that the veteran's post-operative bilateral hammertoes were not incurred during her active military service and denied her claim for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for numbness of the left foot and a compensable rating for osteomyelitis of the left tibia, finding no evidence of active or recurrent osteomyelitis.

The Board has determined that the veteran's recurrent fungal infection and precancerous hypertrophic actinic keratosis were not incurred in service.

The Board found no evidence of a right leg disorder related to service and denied the veteran's claim for service connection.

The veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a VA examination and obtaining relevant medical records.

The veteran's appeal for VA nonservice-connected burial benefits has been dismissed as the appellant withdrew their appeal prior to a decision being made.

The veteran's appeal is about a right finger amputation and the Board has decided to remand the case for further development.

The VA denied the veteran's claims for an increased disability rating and TDIU due to his postoperative herniated nucleus pulposus, L4 left. The disability is currently rated at 20 percent.