Other conditions decisions — 2014

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for narcolepsy, which was already service-connected at that rate.

The Veteran's cognitive disability manifested by short term memory loss is reasonably shown to be related to exposure to contaminated water in service at Camp Lejeune, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher disability rating for choroideremia has been withdrawn, effectively dismissing the case.

The Board has determined that the appellant's service from May 1972 to March 1973 resulted in an other than honorable discharge due to willful and persistent misconduct, which is a bar to VA benefits.

The Veteran's request for an extension of the delimiting date for his Chapter 30 educational benefits was denied as it was not received within one year from the date on which he was no longer prevented from initiating a program of education due to physical or mental disability.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred at a private facility on June 8, 2011 were denied as VA facilities were feasibly available and the treatment was not for an emergency condition.

The Veteran's loss of teeth is not considered a service-connected disability for VA compensation purposes due to poor oral hygiene, and the Board finds no evidence linking his dental conditions to his service-connected upper lip neurological problem.

The Veteran's service-connected right middle finger fracture with ankylosis was initially rated at 10 percent, but a June 2007 rating decision increased the rating to 20 percent effective March 15, 2007. The Board has determined that a higher rating is warranted as of April 29, 2009.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain a new VA examination and for further development of the record. The issue remains whether he should be granted an initial compensable evaluation for his service-connected left middle finger disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for cocaine addiction, finding that there was no evidence to support a direct link between his inservice treatment and his current addiction.

The Veteran's mucous colitis has been rated at 10 percent, the lowest available rating for this condition. The Board found that his symptoms did not warrant a higher evaluation.

The Board has dismissed the motion due to the death of the moving party.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the establishment of service connection for his psychiatric disorder is denied as he did not appeal the March 31, 2003 effective date assigned in October 2003.

The Board found that the Veteran's residuals of small bowel surgery and its associated post-surgical treatment did not result from an event not reasonably foreseeable or any carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment or similar instance of fault on VA's part.

The Board found no evidence of a current lung disorder, urinary disorder, gastrointestinal disorder, chronic shoulder disorder, or joint disorder that is related to service. The Veteran's claims for these conditions were denied.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for mechanical pain with scoliosis and degenerative changes, to include consideration of a separate rating for arthritis, was denied. The appeal also included a claim for specially adapted housing or special home adaptation which was not addressed in the decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have any residual disability, dental or otherwise, as a result of the dental treatment he received during service. Therefore, his claim for service connection for residuals of teeth extractions is denied.

The Board has ordered a remand to determine if the Veteran currently has a right hand disability related to his service, including any injury he sustained in September 1961. The VA examiner will need to provide an opinion on whether this current disability is at least as likely as not due to his active duty service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining missing documents related to the Veteran's claim and ensuring that all consent forms are associated with his electronic file. The case will be reviewed again after these steps.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a chronic cervical spine disability, including C-7 burst fracture residuals and quadriplegia. The most persuasive medical opinion evidence did not support a link between the June 25, 1988 diving accident and the June 7, 1988 tractor injury.