Other conditions decisions — 2008

The VA denied the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, finding no evidence of a diagnosed condition related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to address whether the veteran's metastatic cancer was due to mustard gas exposure in service and if his PTSD contributed to the cause of death.

The Board finds that there is sufficient evidence of record to grant a 10 percent rating for the veteran's skin disease through August 2, 2006.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the veteran's cause of death, finding that there was no evidence linking his fatal conditions to his military service or any presumptive exposure to Agent Orange.

The Board is remanding the case for additional development to determine if an overpayment of VA pension benefits was properly created and whether a waiver of this overpayment should be granted.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for basic eligibility to receive nonservice-connected pension benefits due to his service not meeting the criteria described.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for neuralgia of circumflex nerve (chest wall pain) based on schedular considerations and for a higher initial rating for fibromyalgia. The veteran is presumed to seek the maximum available benefit.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to determine if the veteran's current spine, neck, and gastrointestinal disorders are related to his service, including an explosion in September 1986.

The veteran's claim for an increase in his service-connected chronic left testicular pain with hydrocele and epididymitis is being remanded due to the need for a more contemporaneous VA examination.

The Board is remanding the case for additional development, including notifying the veteran of what evidence would be required to substantiate the element or elements needed for entitlement to helpless child benefits that were found insufficient in the prior denial on the merits.

The veteran's claim for payment of unauthorized medical expenses from October 2, 2004 to October 15, 2004 was denied because the VA facility in Bay Pines was deemed feasibly available once his condition stabilized.

The Board found that the veteran's medical condition was perceived to be so serious as to require immediate medical attention, and that a VA facility was not feasibly available. Therefore, the veteran is eligible for reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital on May 20, 2005.

The veteran seeks payment or reimbursement for non-VA medical expenses incurred at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital due to a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm. The case is remanded to clarify the dates of services, determine enrollment in VA healthcare system within two years before treatment, and assess stability prior to discharge.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for further development, including verifying the veteran's claimed stressors and conducting a VA mental status examination.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining treatment records and a more current eye examination.

The VA denied the appellant's claim for service connection for adenocarcinoma of the colon, which he claimed was due to Agent Orange exposure. The evidence did not show any current disability or a link between his service and the condition.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further action, including obtaining medical records and a VA opinion regarding whether emergency room treatment was necessary.

The Board granted a 30 percent disability rating for the veteran's residuals of a fracture and removal of sesamoid bone of the left foot, effective March 12, 2003. The claim for service connection for gouty arthritis was also granted.

The Board has granted a 10 percent disability rating for the veteran's hiatal hernia, effective from the date of the decision.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected left knee disability, manifested by arthritis and subjective complaints of pain, stiffness, and instability, warrants a 20 percent evaluation. The evidence does not support an increase in rating beyond this level.