Other conditions decisions — 2007

The Board denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for the veteran's shrapnel wound to the right buttock area, finding that it did not meet the criteria for moderately severe impairment. A separate 10 percent rating was granted for the sciatic nerve contusion.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for reflex sympathetic dystrophy of the right upper extremity and an increased rating for residuals of excision of ganglion and scar tissue of the right hand. The evidence did not support a finding that the claimed condition was related to service or a service-connected disability.

The Board found no current dental condition related to in-service dental trauma, nor is there any other current dental condition otherwise related to the veteran's military service. The appeal for service connection for residuals of in-service dental treatment, claimed as jaw pain, was denied.

The Board found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the claim for service connection for defective vision, including cataracts. The veteran's current condition of cataracts in both eyes was noted, but his best corrected vision is no better than 5/200.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims to reopen his service connection claims for fatigue/weakness and lactose intolerance, finding no new and material evidence.

The veteran's claims for service connection for skin tumors on the chest and back, as well as a skin disability of the hands and feet, were reopened. The claim for residuals of a fracture of the left arm was also reopened.,However, the claim for residuals of a shell fragment wound (SFW) of the left leg remains denied.

The VA denied the veteran's increased rating claim for his service-connected eye disability, currently rated at 30 percent.

The Board has remanded the case for clarification on whether the veteran had a soft tissue sarcoma and if it is related to service. The claim will be reconsidered based on both herbicide exposure and direct service connection.

The Board finds that the veteran's total occlusion of the right carotid artery resulted from VA treatment, leading to additional disability. As such, compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 is granted.

The Board granted a 30 percent rating for the veteran's Schamberg's disease of the lower extremities as of February 2, 2005.

The veteran's service-connected right foot disabilities, including residuals of bunion surgery and fractures of the second and third toes, are currently rated at 20 percent. The appeal is granted.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of September 7, 2001 for the grant of service connection for schizoaffective disorder.

The veteran's request for a waiver of the recovery of an overpayment of VA improved pension benefits in the amount of $4,800 was denied. The case is being remanded to issue a Statement of the Case and schedule a Travel Board hearing.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a compensable evaluation for her service-connected idiopathic edema of the lower extremities and denied her secondary service connection claims for hypertension and residuals of a stroke, finding that there was no evidence to support these claims.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for Crohn's disease, finding that there is no evidence of an in-service disease or injury and that the symptoms are not due to an undiagnosed illness. The preponderance of the evidence does not support the claim.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for Reiter's syndrome of the lumbar spine and cervical spine were denied. The lumbar spine claim was not granted as there is no evidence of unfavorable ankylosis, pronounced intervertebral disc syndrome with persistent symptoms compatible with sciatic neuropathy, or incapacitating episodes of intervertebral disc syndrome having a total duration of at least six weeks during the past year. For the period prior to October 27, 2005, the cervical spine claim was not granted as there is no evidence of unfavorable ankylosis, severe recurrent attacks of intervertebral disc syndrome with intermittent relief or incapacitating episodes having a total duration of at least four weeks during the past year. For the period from October 27, 2005, forward, the cervical spine claim was not granted as there is no evidence of unfavorable ankylosis.

The veteran's request for a waiver of the recovery of an overpayment of VA improved pension benefits in the amount of $4,800 was denied. The case is being remanded to issue a Statement of the Case and schedule a Travel Board hearing.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection as there is no evidence of chronic otitis media in service or for several years thereafter, and his current disability is not related to disease or injury in service.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for ischemic optic neuritis due to new and material evidence. However, the claim is denied as there is no competent medical evidence linking the current condition to active duty or reserve status.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current cardiovascular issues, including mitral valve regurgitation and atrial fibrillation, are reasonably due to scarlet fever from service, leading to rheumatic heart disease.