Other conditions decisions — 2012

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral Dupuytren's contracture was incurred during his active service and is granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's paraplegia and related incontinence are found to be caused by the June 2006 VA AAA repair surgery, which was not reasonably foreseeable. The Board finds that the criteria for benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 have been met.

The Board found that the Veteran's MAC disease is not related to service and denied his claim for service connection.

The RO found that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen service connection for Crohn's disease, as the additional evidence did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim or raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Veteran's dysthymic disorder has been rated at 30 percent since August 19, 2005, based on occupational and social impairment with decrease in work efficiency and periods of inability to perform tasks.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and VA treatment records. A new examination is also required to assess the severity of his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted the Veteran's request to reopen his claim of entitlement to service connection for residuals of prostate cancer, secondary to urethral stricture, post-operative. The duodenal ulcer rating remains at 20 percent.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records from the Veteran's current private treating physician and any other relevant private treatment records.

The Veteran's dystonia is determined to be a direct result of negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment or similar instance of fault on VA's part in furnishing the medical treatment.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to ensure all relevant evidence is considered in the decision regarding the Veteran's claims for an increased rating and TDIU. This includes obtaining VA treatment records, private medical records from Prime Care Physicians, and any other pertinent records.

The Veteran's additional disabilities, including vision problems, postnasal drip, sore throat, and difficulty resonating, were not the result of unforeseen events or lack of skill, carelessness, negligence, error in judgment on the part of VA. The Board finds that these conditions are related to his pituitary adenoma treatment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right lower extremity thrombophlebitis is related to an injury he sustained in service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's varicose veins of the left and right lower extremities are currently rated at 20 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available for these conditions. The VA examiner found no persistent edema or stasis pigmentation/eczema in either leg.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate reasoning in the May 2010 VA examination report regarding the cause of the Veteran's death and the need for further medical literature review. The appellant is asked to provide evidence about her brother's exposure to benzene during active duty, as well as any post-service employment that could have exposed him to benzene.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for myofascial pain syndrome and denied it, finding that there is no nexus between the disability and active service or an undiagnosed illness related to Gulf War Syndrome.

The Board is remanding the case to obtain additional information about the Veteran's in-service radiation exposure and duties as a radium stripper, which may help determine if his cause of death was related to service.

The Veteran's sick sinus syndrome was rated at 10 percent prior to April 30, 2009 and increased to 60 percent effective April 30, 2009.

The Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent for uterine fibroids, status post hysterectomy, prior to July 21, 2009 and on or after November 1, 2009 is denied.

The Veteran's current visual disorder manifested by faulty depth perception is found to be related to his in-service automobile accident, and thus service connection is granted.

The Board found that the Veteran's left lower lobe atelectasis preexisted service and was not aggravated by military service. Therefore, his lung disability is not considered incurred in or aggravated by active military service.