Other conditions decisions — 2008

The appellant is not recognized as the veteran's surviving spouse for VA death benefits due to her prior marriages and lack of legal freedom to remarry.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current bilateral foot disorder due to cold injury residuals is related to his military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The veteran was diagnosed with Mitral Valve Prolapse (MVP) during service and has a current disability of MVP. After resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the veteran, MVP was incurred in or aggravated by service and may be presumed to have been incurred therein.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary prior to the adjudication of the veteran's claims, including obtaining private treatment records and scheduling a VA examination for his left eye disability. The issues of TDIU and service connection for a right eye condition are also inextricably intertwined with the left eye disability issue.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for a new VA examination and VCAA compliance.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for myofascial strain with x-ray evidence of degenerative changes L5-S1, to include the sacroiliac joint pain is being remanded due to the need for a thorough assessment of the DeLuca criteria and a current examination.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for eye pain due to an undiagnosed illness, finding that there is no evidence of a diagnosed condition and concluding that the veteran's intermittent discomfort in his eyes is largely relieved by wearing glasses.

The Board has determined that the veteran's degenerative joint disease of the left hip was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's chronic right lower extremity length discrepancy was incurred during active service and is granted service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for residuals of priaprism surgery. The issue of entitlement to special monthly compensation based on loss of use of a creative organ was inferred from the veteran's request for higher benefits and is also denied.

The VA determined that there is no current evidence of cold injury residuals to the veteran's feet, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected disabilities were not the principal or a contributory cause of his death, and the cause of his death was not incurred due to active service. The Board also determined that the veteran's death was not the result of VA medical treatment.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including a VA examination and readjudication.

The veteran's service was only 28 days, which is insufficient for VA pension benefits. The claim is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death.

The Board has granted the veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for bilateral hallux valgus and determined that he incurred this condition during active duty service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at a private hospital on September 30th, 2004 due to lack of enrollment in the VA Health Care system and other health care coverage.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a more recent VA examination and consideration of additional evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a medical opinion regarding the relationship between the veteran's current skin disorder and his military service.

The veteran's claims for higher ratings for traumatic arthritis of the right and left ankles with shin splints are denied as his conditions do not meet the criteria for a rating higher than 20 percent.