Other conditions decisions — 2010

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including an adequate VA medical examination and obtaining personnel records to determine if the Veteran served in Vietnam where he could have been exposed to Agent Orange. The Veteran's claim of service connection for a chronic skin disorder is pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral patellofemoral syndrome was incurred in active service and is not shown by clear and unmistakable evidence to have existed prior to service. The claim for a dental disorder due to trauma is denied as there is no showing of such condition being related to service or other compensable dental disability.

The Board has determined that the VA examination is inadequate and remanding for another examination to determine if service connection can be established for joint disorders, including arthritis of multiple joints.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected conditions did not substantially or materially contribute to his death, and thus denied the claim for service connection for cause of death.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for an amputation of the distal right (major) ring finger has been granted. Service connection for nerve damage to the right hand is also granted, but as part and parcel of the already service-connected disability.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for a permanent and total rating for pension purposes due to insufficient service-connected disability, as he was discharged from active duty due to unsuitability rather than a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's claim for specially adapted housing assistance and a special home adaptation grant was denied as he is not service-connected for any qualifying disability.

The Veteran's claim for accrued pension benefits is being remanded due to confusion between two different claims and the need to ensure VCAA notice obligations are satisfied.

The Veteran's claim for reimbursement of medical expenses in the amount of $506, for payments made to the American Samoa Medical Center in calendar year 2008, is granted, and his 2008 pension payment should be adjusted accordingly.

The Board has determined that the effective dates for removing V. W. as a dependent and adding L. W. as a dependent are properly assigned, based on the facts of the case.

The Board has determined that a medical opinion is needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's cause of death and whether his service-connected anxiety was a contributory cause of his death. The case is REMANDED for these actions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for alcohol abuse, illegal drug use and sex abuse were denied as these conditions were the result of his own willful misconduct. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disability to include character dysfunction was also denied due to a lack of evidence linking the condition to service.

The Veteran's service-connected paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, status post pacemaker implantation is rated at 30 percent from September 29, 2006 to October 29, 2006. The appeal for higher ratings and service connection for migraine headaches are pending.

The Board found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for peptic ulcer disease, thus denying the reopening of the claim.

The Veteran's current diagnosis of prostatitis is etiologically related to active military service, and the Board finds that his claim for service connection for prostatitis is granted.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral eye disorder, including amblyopia and macular degeneration, finding that the Veteran's current eye disability is not causally related to his active military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable due to his inability to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred from October 15, 2006 to October 20, 2006 was denied as the claim was not filed within the required 90-day timeframe after discharge.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for upper back and chest disability, as well as left leg radiculopathy, are being remanded due to the need for further medical examination.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records from 1973.