Other conditions decisions — 2013

The Board has decided that additional development is needed, including obtaining medical records from the Veteran's treatment providers and completing release forms for any private medical treatment he received. The case will be returned to the RO/AMC for further review.

The Veteran's complaints of memory loss and decreased concentration are not considered to be separate disabilities for which service connection can be granted. There is no evidence of a current disability other than post-concussive headaches.

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

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for his adenocarcinoma of the prostate was granted, with an effective date of February 1, 2010. The current rating is 20 percent.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a more contemporaneous examination to determine the current severity of his service-connected residuals of a right inguinal hernia repair with ilioinguinal nerve entrapment and left inguinal hernia, including any separate rating for ilioinguinal nerve injury.

The Board found that the Veteran's current right hand and lower back disabilities are not related to service, and thus denied his claims for service connection.,There is no evidence of a chronic condition in service or within one year after discharge, and the most probative medical opinion concluded that the current conditions are not related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination and consideration of newly submitted evidence. The case will be re-adjudicated after these actions.

The Board has determined that the appellant is not entitled to additional VA educational assistance benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) due to the limitations imposed by existing education benefit programs.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected perforated ear drum did not cause or contribute to his death. The primary cause of death was Alzheimer's disease, which was exacerbated by anorexia.

The Veteran's request for waiver of the overpayment of $45,108.00 in nonservice-connected pension benefits was granted by the Committee on Waivers and Compromises due to VA being more at fault than the Veteran in creating the debt, but not totally at fault.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and likely etiology of the claimed right leg fracture residuals.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's skin disorder, including fibroepithelial polyps, seborrheic keratosis, poikiloderma of civatte, and idiopathic guttate hypomelanoisis, had its onset in service. As such, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development of his service connection claim, including obtaining in-patient records and private medical records.

The Veteran's service-connected nasal fracture has resolved and does not currently cause any functional impairment, resulting in a denial of an initial compensable disability rating.

The Veteran suffered a myocardial infarction in January 2006, which was not due to carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment or similar instance of fault on the part of VA. The Board found that the level of care provided by the VA surgeon was appropriate and properly delivered.

The Veteran's current respiratory disorder is emphysema, which the VA examiner found to be not related to his service. The Board denied service connection for a respiratory disorder including residuals of pneumonia.

The Veteran's back disability has been evaluated at a 10 percent rating since the grant of service connection, and there is no evidence to warrant an increase in this evaluation.

The Board found that the Veteran's right hand disorder did not manifest during service and is not related to his military service, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's skin conditions (actinic keratosis and squamous cell carcinoma) are not service-connected as they were not shown to be related to his military service. The Board also found no evidence of a current psychiatric disorder that is service-connected.

The Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities are not rated higher than the current 10% and 20% ratings for chondromalacia of each knee, and recurrent subluxation and lateral instability of each knee.