Other conditions decisions — 2007

The Board denied the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death in December 1951. The RO declined to reopen the claim in July 2005, finding no new and material evidence. The appellant submitted additional documents but they were not considered material.

The Board found that the veteran's squamous cell carcinoma was not incurred in or aggravated by his active duty service, nor may it be presumed to have been incurred due to exposure to herbicides. The claim is therefore denied.

The Board has determined that J.M.M., the adopted child of the veteran's daughter-in-law, qualifies as an adopted child for purposes of receiving DIC benefits. The appeal is granted.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of her service-connected left knee disabilities.

The appellant's service is not considered qualifying for VA nonservice-connected disability pension benefits, and his claim was denied.

The VA determined that the appellant's deceased husband did not have service in the United States Armed Forces, thus denying her claim for basic eligibility for death benefits.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for a left arm condition, characterized as removal of a tattoo. The evidence now shows that the veteran had a 3-inch scar on his left shoulder with sensory deficit due to surgery in service and subsequent VA procedures. The examiner opined that this loss of sensation is related to the surgical procedures.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current diagnoses of malaria, dengue fever, or lung disability. The VA examiner found no residuals of these conditions and attributed any current symptoms to service-connected coronary artery bypass graft surgery and past pneumonia episodes. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The VA denied the appellant's claim for basic eligibility for Department of Veterans Affairs death benefits because her deceased husband had no service as a member of the United States Armed Forces.

The veteran's appeal for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities was dismissed because the veteran died during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate notice provided to the appellant regarding new and material evidence requirements.

The RO has denied the veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for his post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), currently rated at 30 percent. The case is being remanded due to a need for a new VA examination.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed residuals of cold weather injuries are not related to his military service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The VA denied the appellant's claim for basic eligibility for death benefits because her deceased husband had no service as a member of the Philippine Commonwealth Army, including recognized guerrillas, in the United States Armed Forces.

The veteran's household income exceeded the threshold for VA healthcare without a copayment requirement, resulting in denial of his claim.

The Board found that the retroactive reductions of payment for educational benefits were proper, and thus denied the appellant's claim.

The Board has granted service connection for atrial flutter with sick sinus syndrome, finding that the veteran's condition was incurred during active duty and is related to his military service.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for joint pain and memory impairment, both claimed to be due to an undiagnosed illness. The Board found that there was no evidence of a chronic disorder manifested by joint pain or memory impairment during service or within one year after separation from service.

The Board has ordered a remand due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology and date of onset of the veteran's gynecological problems that led to her hysterectomy in 1996. The AMC is instructed to obtain private medical records from Dr. G.A. Johnson, including those from December 1995 to June 1996.

The Board found that the veteran's chronic muscle weakness was not caused by VA medical care, and denied his claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.