Other conditions decisions — 2012

The Board found that the appellant is not entitled to recognition as the surviving spouse of the Veteran for purposes of VA benefits, and thus she is not a proper claimant for the VA death benefit sought.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for additional development due to inadequate opinions in his VA examination and incomplete evidence. The case will be reviewed by the RO/AMC, and a new VA examination will be conducted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for malformations of the toes was denied as he failed to report for a scheduled VA examination without showing good cause.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at the Regional Office due to the retirement of the previous hearing judge.

The Board has ordered additional development due to incomplete examination and the need for more recent medical records. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered based on all evidence.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including scheduling a VA examination and providing an addendum opinion regarding the Veteran's spine disability.

The Veteran's current eye disabilities, including macular degeneration, epiretinal membrane, and central retinal vein occlusion of the left eye, are not considered to be related to his service. The VA examiner found no evidence linking these conditions to any in-service event or diagnosis.

The Board finds that the Veteran's varicose veins in both legs arose during active service and continues to this day, granting service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected carcinoma of the prostate in remission, status post external radiation and brachytherapy is currently rated at 60 percent. The Board finds that his symptoms do not warrant a higher rating as there is no evidence of active prostate cancer or other conditions that would allow for an increased rating.

The Veteran's initial disability ratings for her bilateral knee disabilities, including degenerative joint disease and instability, are denied as they do not meet the criteria for higher evaluations under applicable VA rating criteria.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary prior to the adjudication of this claim, including obtaining outstanding evidence and providing proper notice.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for swollen feet, a disorder characterized by blood clots including thrombophlebitis, and varicose veins due to new evidence submitted since the April 1973 rating decision. The Veteran's current condition is related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination and considering all evidence obtained since the most recent supplemental statement of the case.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for right leg/thigh lipoma, residuals of a right ankle fracture, and right foot disorder (plantar fasciitis), as well as his claim for TDIU and an extraschedular rating for right ankle disability. The decision concluded that there was no evidence to support these claims.

The Veteran's bilateral eye disability is not service-connected due to lack of evidence linking it to his military service. His hypertension, however, meets the criteria for a compensable rating based on its history requiring continuous medication.

The Veteran's claim for educational assistance benefits under Chapter 1606, Title 10, United States Code was denied as he did not meet the basic eligibility requirements due to lack of a 6-year contract in the Selected Reserve.

The Board found that the appellant did not have service as a member of the Philippine Commonwealth Army, including recognized guerrillas, in the service of the United States Armed Forces and therefore denied his claim for one-time payment from the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's amyloidosis is service connected as a result of his exposure to Agent Orange during service, and thus grants the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected chronic urinary tract infections, history of right poly-nephritis does not result in a disability manifested by memory loss that is separate and distinct from her major depression. The current rating for the urinary tract infection disability remains at 60%.

Service connection for cephalgia (headaches) is granted as of August 14, 1974. A higher initial rating of 50% for tension headaches is also granted.