Other conditions decisions — 2010

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient rationale in the VA eye examination, requiring a new opinion on whether the Veteran's legal blindness is related to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for nutrition and environmental toxicity is denied as there is no credible evidence or assertion of in-service incurrence or aggravation of a disease or injury, and no competent evidence of a nexus between the claimed condition and military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination report, and the Veteran's current diagnosis of enlarged heart needs clarification in relation to service.

The Veteran's detached left eye retina was not manifested in service and is not shown to be related to his service-connected hypertension. The Board denied the claim for service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a respiratory disability (emphysema) and spinal stenosis, finding no current disability or evidence of in-service injury that could be linked to these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for carcinoma of the right tonsil, claimed as due to exposure to herbicides, is being remanded for further development and consideration.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of alcoholism and therefore, service connection for alcoholism is denied.

The Veteran's varicose veins of the left leg were granted a 40 percent rating effective April 19, 2006. The arthritis of the left shoulder was not rated higher.

The Veteran's calcified pleural plaques are rated at a 60 percent evaluation, the highest available under Diagnostic Code 6833 for interstitial lung disease.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his right great toe fracture residuals is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination and updated medical records.

The Veteran's cause of death was determined to be natural causes, with acute hepatic insufficiency and aspiration pneumonia as the underlying conditions. The Board found that there is no evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a Travel Board hearing due to the cancellation of his previously scheduled hearing. The issues on appeal include service connection claims and reopening/reconsideration requests.

The Board found that the Veteran's neck disorder is not related to his service or a service-connected condition, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a Travel Board hearing at her earliest available opportunity. The claims will be returned to the Board after the hearing.

The Veteran's initial claim for higher evaluations for his service-connected bilateral defective hearing was denied. The VA found that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 50 percent prior to September 6, 2007, and in excess of 80 percent since then.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board found that the Veteran's adenocarcinoma of the prostate did not have its onset in service, was not otherwise related to his active military service, and is not etiologically related to a service-connected disability. As such, the claim for service connection was denied.

The appellant's claim of being recognized as the Veteran's surviving spouse for VA benefits was denied due to not meeting the criteria for basic eligibility.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining a medical opinion on whether the appellant's current abdominal disability is related to his service-connected back disability. The claim will be reconsidered after this additional development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for testicular cancer and ulcerative colitis, finding no evidence of radiation exposure during service and insufficient medical evidence linking these conditions to active military service.