Other conditions decisions — 2007

The Board has determined that the cause of the veteran's death was not service-connected due to lack of evidence showing exposure to herbicides in Vietnam and no other service connection claims were pending at the time of his death.

The Board found that the veteran's eye disorder, including corneal flash burns and cataracts, was not incurred in or aggravated by service. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's death from malignant brain tumor was not caused or contributed to by his military service, including exposure to Agent Orange. As a result, the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for chronic disabilities manifested by neck pains, bilateral elbow joint pains, and bilateral hand pains due to undiagnosed illnesses. Service connection is also granted for degenerative joint disease of the interphalangeal joints of all the fingers and bilateral patellofemoral syndrome.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for his left inguinal hernia condition is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

The veteran's claim for an effective date prior to February 28, 1949, for the award of service connection and a 10 percent rating was denied.,The veteran's claim for an effective date prior to November 30, 1981, for the increased 30 percent rating was also denied.

The VA has denied an increased rating for the veteran's left foot disorder, assigning a 10 percent evaluation effective October 5, 2003. The condition is manifested by hallux valgus and hammertoe deformities with symptoms of pain, tenderness, and osteoarthritis.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for an upper respiratory disorder, bilateral upper and lower extremity disorders due to cold weather injury, as there is no medical evidence of current disabilities or a link between his active service and these conditions.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for cause of death due to meningitis, finding no evidence linking it to service.

The Board found that the veteran's colon cancer is not related to his military service, including exposure to herbicides. The claim for secondary service connection was denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for missing teeth due to dental trauma, finding that there is no evidence of a disability related to in-service trauma and that the preponderance of the evidence does not support the claim.

The Board denied an increased rating for residuals of a cold injury of the left leg, finding that the veteran's symptoms did not warrant a higher rating based on his neuropathic pain and numbness.

The Board has ordered the case remanded for further development and readjudication, including obtaining additional medical records and arranging for a VA examination to assess the severity of the veteran's right hand condition.

The Board has granted the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of her husband's death as secondary to nicotine dependence and in-service tobacco use.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a medical opinion and providing notice regarding disability ratings and effective dates.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a back injury, spinal cord tumor, and collapsed lung. The reasons given were that there was no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to service.

The veteran's service does not meet the basic eligibility requirements for VA nonservice-connected death pension benefits.

The Board found that the veteran does not have dyslexia and concluded that the preponderance of evidence is against the claim of service connection for dyslexia.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right and left elbow disabilities, finding that they are currently rated appropriately at 30 percent and 20 percent respectively.

The veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for hiatal hernia is being remanded due to the addition of new evidence, which includes a recent esophagogastroduodenoscopy showing gastric ulcer with nodularity. The case will be reconsidered in light of this new information.