Other conditions decisions — 2013

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical records and requests for additional evidence. The Veteran's cause of death is listed as cardiopulmonary arrest due to or as a consequence of pneumonia, dementia, and other significant conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current disability, a 'bump' on his right clavicle, is causally related to an in-service right clavicle break and thus service connection for the residuals of a broken right clavicle is granted.

The Veteran seeks service connection for esophageal cancer, which he asserts is related to exposure to herbicides and insecticides in the Panama Canal Zone. The case is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development due to inconsistencies in previous opinions and the need for additional medical nexus opinions on both causation and aggravation of bilateral cataracts by service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including a new VA examination to address the etiology of his right middle finger disability and its impact on his occupational activities.

The Veteran's claim for nonservice-connected pension and/or special monthly pension is being remanded due to incomplete information regarding his service in Vietnam. The RO needs to obtain the complete service personnel file, ship histories of all Navy ships he served on, and verify if he was aboard any brown Water navy ships that docked in Vietnam.

The Board has determined that the benefits sought on appeal have been granted, and there is no longer an issue of fact or law before the Board pertaining to the claim of eligibility for DEA benefits under Chapter 35, U.S.C.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected duodenal ulcer, left external otitis, and left eardrum perforation did not contribute to his death. The self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head was not related to a psychiatric disorder incurred in service or alcoholism resulting from such a disorder.

The Board found that the Veteran's left hip and lower extremity neurological disability was not present in service or until many years thereafter, and is not related to service, to an incident of service origin, or to Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hyperpigmented macules on her tongue and inner cheeks are not a disability for which service connection is authorized, as they are considered to be congenital in nature.

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of medical expenses incurred at Shands Hospital in August 2012 was timely filed, and the Board finds that VA had prior authorization for the treatment received.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's appeal regarding service connection for left and right eye disabilities is granted. The effective date of this decision will be determined based on the evidence provided.

The Board has determined that service connection for a skin disorder and hiatal hernia, both claimed as due to undiagnosed illness, cannot be established based on the evidence of record.

The Board found that the Veteran's bleeding gums and periodontal disease are not service-connected due to lack of evidence showing a connection between his military service and these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral posterior tibial tendonitis, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are directly related to injuries sustained during active duty.

The Veteran's color blindness and decreased visual acuity are not service-connected as they do not meet the criteria for a disability under VA compensation laws.,There is no evidence of a current psychiatric disability, specifically PTSD, to support a claim for service connection.

The Veteran is seeking an earlier effective date for the award of special monthly compensation based on loss of use of the left foot, and also wishes to challenge the April 1972 and January 1973 rating decisions that initially established service connection. The Board has determined that additional development is needed before these issues can be fully adjudicated.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Hendersonville Medical Center from July 24, 2010 to July 26, 2010 are denied as the treatment did not meet the criteria for emergency care and VA facilities were feasibly available.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lung disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional VA medical records and an examination to determine if his current respiratory or lung disorders are related to his period of active military service.

The Veteran's service-connected gout is currently rated at 20 percent, effective February 28, 2006. The VA examiner found that the disability has been in remission and does not have any adverse sequelae such as deformity or chronicity.