Other conditions decisions — 2011

The Board has determined that the Veteran's Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease is due to a condition that was incurred in service, and thus grants service connection for this disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's heart conditions, including mitral valve stenosis and chronic atrial fibrillation, were not incurred or aggravated by active service. The condition of mitral valve stenosis is considered to have existed prior to service and was a natural progression of rheumatic heart disease.

The VA determined that the Veteran's abdominal muscle strain is not caused or aggravated by his service-connected left hand disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's respiratory and foot disorders are not related to his active service, and thus denied these claims.

The Board found that the Veteran's lung disorder was not incurred or aggravated in service, and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected calluses of the right foot are productive of impairment analogous to a moderately severe foot disability, warranting a 20 percent evaluation.

The Board has vacated its April 2011 decision and remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine whether the Veteran has cellulitis of his left lower extremity that is related to service.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the Veteran's residuals of a left inguinal hernia repair is not related to service and therefore denied his claim.

The Board has determined that service connection is granted for residuals of burns to the left hand, but denied for residuals of burns to the right hand, fingers, and face/skull.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been presented to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for lipomas and their removal. As a result, the claim remains denied.

The appeal is being remanded for additional development to ensure proper notice and hearing procedures are followed.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his service-connected migraine headaches with depressive reaction was granted effective September 25, 2003. However, he requested a separate evaluation for his depression symptoms, which led to the grant of service connection for an adjustment disorder with depressed mood.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected PTSD contributed to his acute myocardial infarction, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a sleep disorder is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to his military service. The skin disorder, rated at 60 percent under Diagnostic Code 7806, does not meet the criteria for an increased rating due to lack of systemic manifestations or constant systemic therapy.

The Board denied reopening the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that new and material evidence was not received to support the claim. The appellant submitted additional evidence but it did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.

The Veteran's death was service-connected, and the appellant is seeking burial benefits in excess of $2,000. The maximum allowable benefit under law is $2,000.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his left hand disability was denied as the condition did not warrant a higher evaluation.

The Board has determined that the appellant is entitled to recognition as the Veteran's surviving spouse for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) purposes, based on her long-term relationship with the Veteran and their public representation of themselves as married.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for additional service department verification of the appellant's claimed service in the recognized guerrillas during World War II. The appellant seeks legal entitlement to a one-time payment from the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund.

The Board has remanded the case to ensure that the Appellant is provided with proper VCAA notice regarding her claim for VA death benefits and accrued benefits as a surviving spouse of the Veteran. The issue now involves determining if the Appellant and the Veteran were married for more than one year prior to the Veteran's death.