Other conditions decisions — 2007

The veteran is seeking a higher disability rating for his service-connected Crohn's disease, which has been rated at 10 percent. The Board has ordered the case back to the RO for further development and consideration.

The Board has determined that the veteran's residuals of spontaneous pneumothorax and pleurodesis surgery do not warrant a rating in excess of 30 percent, as her pulmonary function test findings have not met the criteria for such an increase.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have Addison's disease, which is a recognized medical condition. The claim of service connection for this disability is denied.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his inability to attend the scheduled hearing at the RO. The case will be rescheduled for a Travel Board hearing.

The Board has determined that there is no legal entitlement to the claimed benefit as a matter of law, and thus denies the claim for an earlier effective date.

The Board granted an effective date of June 10, 2004 for service connection and special monthly compensation based on the veteran's conditions associated with diabetes mellitus, Type II.

The veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on the need for the regular aid and attendance of another person or by reason of being housebound has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The veteran's osteochondroma of the left inferior pubic remus is painful upon examination and warrants a 10 percent disability rating.

The veteran died of a nonservice-connected cause and did not have any pending claims for VA benefits at the time of his death. Therefore, burial benefits and accrued benefits are denied.

The Board found that the veteran's central serous retinopathy is not related to his service or a service-connected condition, and denied both his claim for service connection and his request for an increased rating. The veteran's left eye vision impairment was rated at 20 percent.

The Board has granted a 30 percent rating for the veteran's service-connected Darier's disease/keratosis follicularis, effective from when the current appeal was filed.

The Board dismissed the appeal because the appellant died while his claim was pending, and thus had no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of the case.

The veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected mitral systolic heart murmur and to distinguish its effects from any separate heart condition. The issue of service connection for a heart condition secondary to the mitral systolic heart murmur must also be referred back to the RO.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal prior to a decision being made.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for service connection for squamous cell carcinoma, attributing it to exposure to Agent Orange. The evidence did not support a finding that the cancer was incurred in or aggravated by service.

The veteran is seeking a higher initial rating for his service-connected Crohn's disease. The RO granted service connection and assigned an initial evaluation of 30 percent, but denied any increase beyond that. The case is being remanded to obtain additional medical evidence and determine the current severity of the veteran's condition.

The veteran's claim for payment of unauthorized medical expenses at Altru Hospital from February 27, 2000 to March 6, 2000 is denied as he was not service-connected for any disability and VA facilities were not feasibly available.

The veteran died in March 1999 and was buried. The appellant filed a claim for non-service-connected burial benefits more than two years after the burial, which is untimely. The Board denied the claim as it did not meet the legal requirements.

The veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at a non-VA hospital is denied as he did not meet the eligibility criteria under VA regulations.

The veteran's unauthorized medical services provided by Baxter Regional Medical Center on May 20, 2006 are eligible for payment or reimbursement under the Veterans Millennium Health Care and Benefits Act due to the emergent nature of his condition.