Other conditions decisions — 2014

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death, complications of arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, was not due to military service and therefore denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Board has found that the appellant's character of discharge serves as a bar to her receipt of VA benefits (exclusive of health care provided under 38 U.S.C.A. Chapter 17) for claims based on the period of service from August 9, 1989 to August 2, 1990. The case is being remanded due to a request for a Travel Board hearing.

The Veteran's claim for non-service-connected disability pension benefits is denied as he does not meet the mandatory requirement of military service during a wartime period and lacks the requisite adjudged service-connected disability.

The Veteran's service-connected right inguinal hernia scar is rated at 10 percent since September 1, 2011. The Board also granted an earlier effective date of September 1, 2011 for the 10 percent rating.

The Veteran died due to ALS, but the appellant's claim for enhanced DIC was denied as she did not meet the requirement of having been married to a service-connected totally disabled Veteran for at least eight years.

The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to meningioma resection with radiation, finding that exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam contributed substantially or materially to his death. The issues of ischemic heart disease and Parkinson's disease secondary to exposure to herbicides on an accrued basis are remanded.

The Board found that the Veteran's esophageal cancer, which caused his death in January 2005, was not related to service or presumed exposure to herbicide agents. Therefore, the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death was denied.

The Board has granted service connection for spondylolisthesis and dysthymic disorder, finding that the conditions are related to active service. Dysthymic disorder was found to have been aggravated by service.

The appellant does not have legal standing to qualify for DIC benefits and the issue of reinstatement is moot.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current fibrocystic breast disability and therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.

The Veteran's right foot disability, including the loss of use as of June 28, 2013, is currently rated at 40 percent. The claim for an evaluation in excess of 20 percent prior to that date remains denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection, finding that his acquired psychiatric disorders, including intermittent explosive disorder and a personality disorder, were not incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board has granted an effective date prior to June 1, 2009 for the grant of service connection for cold injury residuals affecting both lower extremities. However, the Veteran's claim that there was CUE in earlier decisions regarding service connection for cold injuries of the hands is dismissed without prejudice.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected Crohn's colitis, and for obtaining all outstanding medical records.

The Veteran's service-connected recurrent perianal abscesses with hidradenitis suppurativa of the groin area is rated at 30 percent, effective from November 8, 1999. The RO found that these conditions are so closely related and resolved reasonable doubt in favor of rating them together.

The Veteran's CLL was not incurred or aggravated by service, and there is no evidence of herbicide exposure. Service connection for CLL on a direct basis is denied.

The Veteran's dysthymic disorder was previously rated at 50 percent prior to November 22, 2006. Since then, the disability has been rated at 70 percent.

The Veteran's head and bilateral arm tremors were not shown during service or within one year of separation, and there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.,VA examinations have consistently found the Veteran to have essential tremor, a condition that was not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence to support the Veteran's claims of current fungal conditions of his feet being related to service, including use of communal showers. The preponderance of the evidence is against finding a nexus between any current condition and military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's left foot disorder is not etiologically related to his service, and it is not related to his service-connected left knee disability.