Other conditions decisions — 2010

The VA determined that the Veteran's service-connected gastric resection did not cause or contribute to his death, as there was no evidence of ongoing gastric disease and the adhesions from the surgery were not found to have caused any specific difficulty with the June 2004 aneurysm repair.

The Board has determined that the severance of service connection for porphyria cutanea tarda was improper and restored the Veteran's eligibility for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic residuals of a left hand injury, including numbness in the index finger and thumb, is granted. The issue of facial trauma with right mandible fracture was withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for a neck disorder. The Board has ordered an effort to obtain all relevant records, including those from his military service, private doctors, and any work-related injury claim.

The Veteran's nerve damage to the spine, stomach, groin, and legs is not considered due to carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment or similar instance of fault on VA's part during the December 2003 and January 2004 angioplasties.

The Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities have been rated at 10 percent each, based on limitation of flexion. The VA has determined that the current ratings adequately reflect the severity of his service-connected conditions.

The Board has ordered additional development of the Veteran's claim that his daughter is a helpless child and was incapable of self-support prior to attaining age 18. The development includes obtaining SSA records, employment history, medical records from private psychiatrist, and marriage status information.

The Board has ordered the VA to obtain all available outpatient treatment records related to the Veteran's care from January 1990 to June 2003. The case is then remanded for further development and readjudication.

The Veteran's squamous cell carcinoma was not incurred in or aggravated by active duty and is unrelated to service. The evidence does not indicate that he was exposed to ionizing radiation.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and a VA opinion regarding the cause of death.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for oral laryngeal cancer, claimed as due to herbicide exposure, is denied. The Board found no evidence of a current diagnosis of laryngeal cancer and concluded that the Veteran's oral cancer was not related to his military service or presumed Agent Orange exposure.

The Veteran's appeal for nonservice-connected pension benefits was denied because his service did not meet the threshold eligibility requirements. The claim to reopen a claim of service connection for retinal detachment of the left eye was also denied as no new and material evidence has been received.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for fevers and a skin disability have been denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities or a link to his military service.

The Veteran's current diagnosed conditions, including colon cancer and hiatal hernia, were not incurred in service or due to his service-connected left inguinal hernia.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a video conference hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence to support the claim of service connection for the cause of the service member's death, as his lung cancer was not related to military service or exposure to chemical dioxins.

The Board has granted service connection for cholesteatoma of the left ear, finding that it is related to the Veteran's hearing loss.

The Veteran's initial claim for service connection was granted, and he is currently receiving a 20 percent rating for his postoperative residuals of a fracture of the left femoral neck.,From January 1, 2008 to June 26, 2008, the Veteran received an increased rating to 50 percent due to osteomyelitis superimposed on his pre-existing condition.

The Board denied an evaluation in excess of 20 percent for the Veteran's right eye disability, finding that his symptoms most nearly approximated the criteria for a 20 percent evaluation.

The Board found no chronic skin disability manifested during the Veteran's military service and did not find any evidence of a current skin condition etiologically linked to herbicide exposure. Therefore, service connection for blackheads and dryness/scaliness of patches of skin was denied.