Other conditions decisions — 2013

The Veteran's atrial fibrillation is presumed to have been incurred in service due to exposure to ionizing radiation, as he served aboard a ship that had signs indicating radioactive materials.,Service connection for the Veteran's pulmonary disability manifested by shortness of breath is granted based on direct evidence showing it was incurred during active duty.

The Board has found that the Veteran's skin condition requires additional development, including obtaining relevant medical records and a new VA examination. The case is being remanded for these purposes.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal for service connection of left leg varicose veins, and the Board is dismissing the claim.

The Veteran's two biological children were added as dependents to his VA disability compensation award effective May 1, 2004. The second wife was added as a dependent effective May 1, 2009.,The Veteran's combined disability rating became effective on April 27, 2004, and he had two biological children at that time.

The Veteran's endometriosis has been manifested by pelvic pain that does not require treatment for control. The Board finds no evidence of a higher disability rating.

The Board has ordered the Pension Management Center to review updated financial information from 2010 to the present and issue a supplemental statement of the case if necessary. The Veteran is required to provide updated financial status reports including an updated Corpus of Estate Determination form, state and/or federal income tax returns, and any other relevant income documentation.

The Veteran's death was not due to a service-connected disability, and he did not have pending claims for benefits at the time of his death. Therefore, the appellant is not eligible for nonservice-connected burial benefits.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for Hodgkin's lymphoma and a skin disability are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated authorization for private records and providing VA with an opportunity to obtain such records. The Veteran is also required to provide an opinion regarding whether his current conditions are related to his in-service radiation exposure.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death, and no jurisdiction remains for the merits of this claim.

The Veteran does not have prostate cancer and his benign prostatic hypertrophy is not related to service, including herbicide exposure. The Board finds that the Veteran's statements are conclusory for lack of any explanation as to their competency to offer such evidence.

The service department has certified that the appellant had no service as a member of the Philippine Commonwealth Army, including recognized guerrillas, in the service of the U.S. Armed Forces during World War II. Therefore, the appellant is not eligible for one-time payment from the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund.

The Veteran's claim for an extension of a temporary total evaluation beyond September 30, 2011 is being remanded due to the need for additional evidence and development.

The Veteran's service-connected cold injury residuals were granted initial evaluations of 20 percent for each foot from January 12, 1998 to September 25, 2000. The effective date remains unclear.

The Board has reopened the claim for basic eligibility for entitlement to VA benefits due to new and material evidence submitted by the appellant. The appeal will now be adjudicated on its merits.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current genitourinary and gastrointestinal disorders are not causally or etiologically related to active service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for osteomyelitis of the left distal femur, and thus grants this claim.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic foot disorder in service and denied the Veteran's claim for service connection.

The Veteran is diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and participated in a radiation-risk activity during service, qualifying for presumptive service connection.

The Board has vacated its November 8, 2012 decision and denied the Veteran's claim for reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at the Flagler Hospital between May 27, 2010 and May 28, 2010 due to lack of eligibility under VA regulations.