Other conditions decisions — 2011

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection were denied as there is no evidence of a claim prior to the assigned effective dates.,There are no records indicating that the Veteran filed a claim for her hysterectomy and oophorectomies before 1985, which occurred after the assigned effective date.

The Board found that the Veteran's current neurological disorder, including aphasia and dizziness, was not related to his service or a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's bleeding ulcers and gallstones are not considered to be a result of VA care, but rather due to the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) prescribed for his arthritis. The Board found no fault on the part of VA in this case.

The Veteran's claim for an extension of the delimiting date beyond April 7, 2001, for Chapter 30 educational assistance benefits is denied as he does not meet the criteria due to lack of a physical or mental disability preventing initiation or completion of education within his eligibility period.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right great toe, ingrown toenail disorder warrants a 10 percent disability rating based on its superficial and painful nature.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeal regarding whether a May 1971 rating decision contained CUE. The earlier effective date claim for PTSD is denied as no earlier effective date can be assigned due to lack of evidence prior to April 2004.

The VA examiner found that the appellant's hand tremor, now diagnosed as Parkinson's disease, was less likely related to service and more likely due to post-military factors. The Board therefore denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's basal cell carcinoma lesions and recurrent left-sided skin rash are related to his active duty service, granting his claims for both conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for venous insufficiency of the lower extremities, which is secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, has been remanded due to inadequate examination reports and need for further medical opinion regarding causation or aggravation.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues related to the Veteran's discharge and his claim for service connection for residuals of a heat stroke. The character of the Veteran's discharge from September 22, 1980 to March 6, 1984 is being reviewed as it may affect his benefits. His claim for service connection for residuals of a heat stroke will also be reconsidered.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection due to lack of new and material evidence for his skin disability claim, while the breathing difficulty and broken nose issues were addressed in a separate section.

The Board finds that there is no evidence of right eye histoplasmosis during active service. The Veteran's current condition was not incurred in or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran died of suspected typhoid on January [redacted], 1943. The appellant's claim for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 was denied as the Veteran did not have any service-connected disabilities at the time of his death.

The Veteran's right knee disability, diagnosed as chrondromalacia patella, was rated at 20% prior to April 1, 2007. From that date forward, the rating was reduced to 10%. The reduction from 20% to 10% effective April 1, 2007, is considered proper.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his right knee disability. The claim will be readjudicated after these actions.

The Board finds that the Veteran's left eye disorder, exotropia, is a congenital disorder that existed prior to service and has not been aggravated by his service. As such, the claim for service connection for this condition is denied.

The Veteran's appeal for TDIU was dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for defective vision in the right eye secondary to his service-connected left eye disability has been denied. The Board finds that new and material evidence was not submitted, and thus the claim is denied.

The Board found no evidence to support a connection between the Veteran's service, including exposure to herbicides or sunlight, and his basal cell carcinoma. The claim was denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's preexisting muscle dystrophy in his bilateral lower extremities was aggravated during service, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.