Other conditions decisions — 2008

The veteran's residuals of a shell fragment wound of the right chest area with a retained foreign body were denied an evaluation in excess of 10 percent.

The appeal is remanded to ensure the veteran receives proper VCAA notice and a detailed accounting of his countable income for 2003.

The appeal is remanded to obtain additional evidence and schedule the veteran for a VA examination.

The veteran was granted a 10 percent rating for his right index finger disability from November 2002 to September 2004, and the rating was reduced to noncompensable thereafter.

The appeal is remanded to the RO for further evidentiary development, including verification of Vietnam service and obtaining additional medical records.

The veteran was granted service connection for pompholyx, with palm and sole involvement, but denied service connection for a skin disability other than pompholyx, with palm and sole involvement.

The Board finds that the veteran's currently diagnosed disability of the left hand is proximately due to his service-connected left shoulder derangement.

The veteran's claim for a rating higher than 20 percent for residuals of brachial artery bypass surgery on the right arm was denied as there were no objective findings of claudication or trophic changes, and the current residuals did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a chest condition was denied as there is no medical evidence of record showing that the veteran had a chest condition during service, or that he has been diagnosed with a chest condition since separation from service.

The appellant's merchant marine service does not meet the basic eligibility requirements for VA benefits.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected disability did not cause or contribute to his death, and denied entitlement to service connection for the cause of the veteran's death. The appellant was also denied eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits under Chapter 35.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a pulmonary or respiratory disorder, characterized as breathing problems, due to lack of evidence supporting exposure to asbestos during service and absence of a current diagnosis.

The veteran withdrew his appeal concerning the waiver of recovery of overpayment of VA nonservice-connected pension benefits.

The veteran's claim for non-service-connected pension benefits, including special monthly pension (SMP), was denied due to his excessive yearly income exceeding the maximum annual pension rate.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for pain disorder with associated psychological factors remains before the Board as it does not represent a total grant of benefits sought on appeal.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), finding that there was no evidence to support a direct link between his CML and his military service, including exposure to herbicides such as Agent Orange.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the award of NSC pension benefits was denied as there is no evidence that he was permanently and totally disabled prior to March 1, 2004.

The Board denied service connection for a disability manifested by back pain other than pilonidal cyst, as there was no competent evidence of such a disability.

The veteran's multiple myeloma is service-connected as a result of exposure to Agent Orange during his military service.

The appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining the veteran's complete service personnel records and scheduling a VA examination to determine if the veteran's acute myeloid leukemia is related to his military service.