Other conditions decisions — 2007

The Board found that the appellant's late husband did not have qualifying service for VA death pension benefits and denied her claim.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for a Travel Board hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at the RO. The case will be returned to the Board after this additional development.

The appellant is not recognized as the surviving spouse of the veteran due to a separation without fault on her part, which broke the continuity of cohabitation.

The Board granted service connection for a perforated left tympanic membrane with associated pain and sensitivity, but denied service connection for disability manifested by impaired balance.

The Board finds that the veteran does not currently have mitral valve prolapse and therefore service connection is denied.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the veteran does not have current right foot disability related to service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's claim for reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at private facilities on July 8, 2004, and July 19, 2004 was denied by the agency of original jurisdiction.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been presented to reopen the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a skin disability due to exposure to ionizing radiation. The claim was previously denied in March 2002, and no new or material evidence has been submitted since then.

The Board denied a disability rating in excess of 20 percent for the veteran's pleural cavity injury, secondary to a shell fragment wound and spontaneous pneumothorax.

The Board has determined that the veteran did not file a timely substantive appeal on his claim for service connection for tobacco-related illness, so the case is dismissed.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have service that qualifies him for VA non-service-connected disability pension benefits.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to determine if the veteran's service-connected disabilities contributed substantially or materially to his death.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for onychomycosis due to new and material evidence received, including VA outpatient treatment records showing ongoing treatment for fungal infection.

The veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on need for aid and attendance of another person or being housebound is remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and records.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected basal cell carcinoma is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of his condition under the revised skin disability rating criteria.

The Board has determined that the veteran's left sided inguinal hernia does not meet the criteria for a higher rating, and thus his claim is denied.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the veteran's claim of service connection for idiopathic scoliosis, resulting in a denial.

The Board has denied a rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD prior to May 23, 2004.

The veteran's bilateral pes cavus is manifested by all toes but the great toes hammertoes with valgus deformity of the great toes, warranting a 50 percent rating.

The veteran has withdrawn his appeal regarding the termination of his VA non-service-connected disability pension benefits. The issue is therefore dismissed.