Other conditions decisions — 2013

The Veteran seeks service connection for a disability of the right rib cage, which he claims was caused by an injury in 1953. The VA examiner found no evidence of a current right rib cage disorder related to his service, but noted that the Veteran's cavernous hemangioma is likely congenital and may have been aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical nexus opinions regarding the Veteran's right Achilles tendonitis and his service connection claims. The claim for right Achilles strain remains pending.

The Veteran's service-connected right and left knee disabilities have not met the criteria for a higher rating at any point during the appeal period.

The Board found no competent, probative evidence supporting the Veteran's claim for service connection for eye disability residual to a shell fragment wound to the face/eyes. The medical opinions provided did not support a link between the current eye problems and the in-service injury.

The Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise, and service connection for cerebellar ataxia is granted as likely as not due to presumed exposure to Agent Orange while serving in Vietnam.

The Veteran's cause of death, metastic pancreatic cancer, was not service-connected as it did not develop during or due to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal for reimbursement of private medical expenses has been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Veteran's shrapnel wounds to the chin and neck are not manifested by visible or palpable tissue loss, gross distortion or asymmetry of features, or characteristics of disfigurement. The May 2013 VA examination found no painful or unstable scar, resulting in a denial of an increased rating.

The Veteran does not have chronic dizziness as the result of disease or injury incurred in or aggravated by active military service, and it may not be presumed to be due to an undiagnosed illness or an unexplained chronic multisymptom illness incurred in service.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a medical examination. The Veteran's claim of service connection for a bilateral eye disability is on appeal.

The Board found that there is no evidence to support a connection between the Veteran's current genitourinary disability and his period of service, including any exposure to cold weather injuries during active duty.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for nonservice-connected death pension benefits due to her income exceeding the maximum allowable amount.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for a fungal infection and granted it, finding that new and material evidence had been submitted. The Veteran is now entitled to VA compensation benefits for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral foot arthritis, finding that the preponderance of evidence supports a link between the Veteran's current condition and his in-service injury. Service connection for PVD is not warranted.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current low back disorder is not related to his service and thus denied his claim for service connection.

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

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 is denied because the additional cardiac disability was not caused by VA carelessness, negligence, or similar fault.

The Board finds that the Veteran's bilateral incipient senile cataracts are a known clinical diagnosis and not a qualifying chronic disability for presumptive service connection under the Persian Gulf Veterans' Act. The Veteran's current eye disorder is related to his age-related lens changes, consistent with his combat status during active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's skin disability of the hands is not related to his active duty service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's condition stabilized at the Oswego Hospital on April 2, 2008. He refused to be transferred to a VA facility and remained there until discharge on April 8, 2008. As such, payment or reimbursement is denied.