Other conditions decisions — 2013

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to insufficient examination and opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's roseacea disorder, which may be related to service exposure or solar radiation.

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain additional medical opinions and records, including VA treatment records and any private dental treatment records. The Veteran's claim of service connection for a dental disorder secondary to diabetes mellitus will be reconsidered after the additional development.

The Veteran submitted a claim for nonservice-connected pension benefits on February 16, 1989. The effective date of the award was assigned as October 31, 1991.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and readjudication, including consideration of an extraschedular TDIU rating prior to June 20, 2002.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bladder tumors, finding that there was no evidence of recurrence or residual disability resulting from his 1999 bladder tumor.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right tonsil squamous cell carcinoma, claimed as respiratory cancer and claimed as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, due to herbicide exposure is being remanded for further clarification of the precise location where the primary cancer developed and whether it can be considered a type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Additionally, an opinion from an oncologist will be sought regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected prostate cancer and his currently diagnosed cancer.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lung disability is being remanded due to conflicting medical opinions and the need for additional examination.

The Veteran's appeal includes claims for increased evaluations for bilateral hallux valgus, service connection for a low back disability (secondary to bilateral hallux valgus), and TDIU. The case is being remanded for further development including obtaining additional evidence, scheduling the Veteran for an appropriate VA examination, and readjudicating the appeal.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for a chronic low back disability, finding that his scoliosis was a congenital disease that did not clearly and unmistakably pre-exist service or worsen beyond its natural progression during service.

The Veteran's stroke was not caused by VA treatment, and the Board found that there is no evidence of carelessness, negligence, or lack of proper skill on the part of VA. The proximate cause of the disability was related to underlying medical conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular requirements for a TDIU rating, and his retirement is due to age or duration of work. The Board finds that referral to the Director of Compensation and Pension Service for extraschedular consideration is not warranted.

The Board found that the Veteran's eye disorders, including blindness and macular degeneration, were not caused by his in-service exposure to ionizing radiation. The preponderance of evidence is against a finding that these disabilities began during service or are causally linked to any incident of service.

The VA Board found that the appellant's service-connected patellofemoral syndrome of the right knee has been manifested by flexion limited to no less than 120 degrees, normal extension, and pain. The evidence did not support a higher rating.

The Board found no evidence of a current disability related to service or an undiagnosed illness, and thus denied the Veteran's claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete records from a private care provider. The claim will be reconsidered after obtaining the necessary medical records.

The VA Board found that the Veteran's current arthritis of the right hand is not related to his military service, including the residuals of a right fifth metacarpal fracture. The evidence does not support a finding of secondary service connection.

The Veteran's lung/respiratory disability was not related to his military service, and the Board denied both his claim for service connection and his request for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed residuals of head injury were not incurred in or aggravated by his active military service.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an updated VA examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's right eye disability, including its potential relationship to service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's right elbow dislocation has been rated at 10 percent, the minimum compensable rating under VA's Rating Schedule.