Other conditions decisions — 2009

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected spondyloarthropathy with bouts of arthritis in the knees, ankles, and metatarsophalangeal joints have been denied as there is no evidence that these conditions warrant a rating higher than the current 10 percent.

The Board found that the Veteran's prostate disability was not incurred in or aggravated by his active service and denied his claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's breast cancer is attributable to her period of active duty, specifically her service in Vietnam where she was exposed to Agent Orange. The Board grants service connection for breast cancer.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for the cause of her husband's death, finding that the earliest possible effective date is July 12, 2004, when she filed to reopen a previously denied claim.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for a skin disability, which he claims was incurred during his military service. The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of any current skin disability.

The Veteran's post-traumatic-stress-disorder is rated at 10 percent since February 24, 2006. The effective date for this rating remains pending as it was not specified in the decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected cold injury residuals do not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment, and thus denied his claim for a TDIU rating.

The Veteran's residuals of deep vein thrombosis of the right leg are manifested by right leg pain with muscle aches and fatigue after prolonged standing or walking, warranting an initial 10 percent disability rating.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's residuals of a fracture of the first metatarsal of the left foot are rated at 10 percent, effective January 20, 2006.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a dental disorder for compensation purposes is denied as treatable carious teeth, replaceable missing teeth, and periodontal disease are not considered disabilities for the purpose of compensation.

The Veteran's claim for funeral director OJT benefits from July 15, 2005 to January 15, 2006 was denied because the training establishment did not meet regulatory requirements for VA educational assistance.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is being remanded due to unclear etiology and the need for a VA examination. The issue of whether his lymphoma was incurred in or aggravated by service-connected dermatitis herpetiformis is also pending.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for basic eligibility for VA death benefits as her deceased husband had no qualifying service in the United States Armed Forces.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for schizoaffective disorder should have an effective date of August 6, 1998, as her application to reopen the previously denied claim was received on that day.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for nonservice-connected pension benefits due to lack of wartime service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for pulled teeth with associated deteriorated gums and bone loss for compensation purposes due to lack of a compensable disability.

The Veteran died from a head injury due to an accidental fall, and his service-connected disabilities did not cause or contribute to his death. The appellant's income exceeded the maximum annual pension rate, so she is not eligible for death pension benefits.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of larynx cancer and residuals was denied. The Board has ordered the VA to conduct a new search for any records indicating that the Veteran contacted the St. Petersburg RO in 1994.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date for her nonservice-connected pension award, finding that June 21, 2005 was the correct effective date based on the date of receipt of her claim.