Other conditions decisions — 2008

The veteran claims an earlier effective date for the grant of TDIU, which was granted on April 23, 2002. The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to determine if either March 18, 1998 or November 27, 2001 could be considered as an informal claim for TDIU.

The veteran's spouse was granted widow's death pension at the aid and attendance rate effective from August 8, 2005 due to her need for assistance in a nursing home.

The veteran's arterial insufficiency of the left leg results in intermittent claudication on walking 880 yards, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The veteran's second marriage ended before he notified VA of it, so he is not entitled to additional compensation for his second wife.

The veteran's service connection for dental trauma to teeth 1, 4, 15, and 17 is granted for the purpose of VA outpatient dental treatment.

The appellant's claim for VA benefits was denied as he did not meet the basic eligibility requirements due to lack of service in the Philippine Commonwealth Army or recognized guerrilla forces.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of active or recurrent skin conditions on the hands, and the veteran's capsulitis of the right second MTP joint does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under current VA regulations.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his residuals of gunshot wound with chip fracture of the left lower tibia, as it found that the evidence did not show more than moderately severe disability.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection due to exposure to herbicides in Vietnam, and finds that his squamous cell carcinoma of the nose with metastasis is likely related to this exposure.

The Board denied service connection for jungle rot of the feet and denied increased ratings for PTSD and shell fragment wound to the left thigh. The veteran does not have a current skin disorder of the feet, and his previously-treated dermatitis was not related to military service.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for further action, including providing the veteran with notice that VA was unable to obtain certain service records.

The Board has determined that retroactive Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits cannot be granted prior to June 30, 2005 due to the appellant's failure to file a claim within one year of the initial rating decision granting her father's TDIU benefits.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for spina bifida occulta S1, finding that there is no evidence of a disease or injury incurred in service and that any current disability is not related to active military service.

The Board has dismissed the veteran's claims for service connection due to his failure to respond to requests for additional evidence within one year, resulting in the abandonment of the appeal.

The Board finds that the veteran's current corns and calluses of the feet are not related to his service, as there is no evidence of a chronic condition present during or following service.

The VA denied a compensable rating for the veteran's residuals of a shrapnel wound to the left elbow, finding that the disability did not meet the criteria for any specific rating under the applicable VA rating criteria.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD based on the submission of new and material evidence. The case is now remanded to schedule a VA psychiatric examination to determine if the veteran has PTSD related to any corroborated stressor(s).

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for notification consistent with the VCAA, as the previous notice did not inform the appellant of who was responsible for obtaining evidence pertinent to her claim.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any current disability related to a retained foreign body in his abdomen. The issue of service connection for impotence will be dismissed as the veteran withdrew his appeal.

The Board found that the veteran's swelling of the eyes is attributable to a known diagnosis of conjunctivitis, which occurred approximately every two to three months in the setting of headaches. The Board determined this condition was not related to his active service or any incident therein.