Other conditions decisions — 2013

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete documentation and needs to review the Veteran's claims file and determine if the appellant is eligible for Chapter 35 DEA benefits.

The Veteran's bladder disorder and pelvic disorder claims are being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and clarifying the opinions of the December 2010 VA examiner.

The Veteran's initial claim for service connection for peripheral neuritis of the left lower extremity was granted, and he is currently receiving a 20 percent evaluation for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions and examinations to address the Veteran's claims for service connection for a respiratory disorder and liver disorder.

The Board found that the Veteran's essential thrombocytosis was not incurred in or aggravated by active duty, nor may its incurrence or aggravation during such service be presumed. The claim for service connection is therefore denied.

The Veteran's active duty service does not meet the basic eligibility requirements for VA nonservice-connected pension benefits due to it being peacetime service.

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to obtain Social Security Administration (SSA) records, and the appellant's claim for reopening service connection for the cause of death is pending.

The Board found that the Veteran's deep vein thrombosis (DVT) of the right leg did not manifest during service and is unrelated to service, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his recurrent ventral hernia was denied. The RO granted an initial 20 percent rating in March 2003 and increased it to 40 percent effective November 4, 2005. A TDIU claim was also denied.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for a dental disorder, including residuals of dental trauma, claimed as due to exposure to contaminated water during service. The case has been remanded for further review and determination.

The Board found that the evidence did not support service connection for right great toe DJD or nerve damage to the right foot, and denied both claims.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for throat cramping, pain after eating, difficulty swallowing, and loss of energy as secondary to his service-connected residuals of laryngeal cancer due to lack of credible evidence.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for bursitis of the right elbow has been remanded due to incomplete information and failure to report for a VA examination. The claim will be reconsidered after further development.

The Veteran's schizoaffective disorder and personality disorder are not shown to have had their clinical onset during his period of active service, nor is there evidence of a continuity of symptomatology since service. The Board finds that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's cause of death, gastric carcinoma, is not considered to be related to his service-connected disabilities. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a finding that any service-connected disability contributed substantially or materially to the Veteran's cause of death.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for right and left leg disorders, finding that there was no evidence of a current diagnosis or in-service occurrence of these conditions. The Veteran's existing lumbosacral strain with limitation of motion is already service-connected.

The Board has remanded the case to obtain a medical opinion regarding the cause of the Veteran's death, specifically whether any peritoneal adhesions and intestinal obstruction from the surgery in 1954 are related to one of the causes listed on his death certificate (ulcer disease during service).

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected compression fracture of T11 and T12 was denied, as the current 20 percent rating adequately reflects the severity of his disability. The claim for TDIU was also denied due to the service-connected condition not alone being of such severity as to preclude participation in any substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's active service does not meet the threshold eligibility requirements for nonservice-connected pension purposes due to a lack of minimum period of active duty.

The Veteran's incisional hernia was not caused by VA care, treatment, or examination. The proximate cause of the disability was his own failure to follow medical instructions.