Other conditions decisions — 2014

The Veteran's peptic ulcer is currently rated at 20 percent and the Board finds that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on current symptoms.

The Board has ordered a supplemental opinion to address the medical articles and treatises submitted by the appellant, as well as Dr. V.'s statements regarding the Veteran's cause of death.

The Veteran's current right knee disability is not shown to be related to service or a service-connected condition, and the Board finds that it does not meet the criteria for direct service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for scheduling a Regional Office hearing at the Winston-Salem RO. The appellant should be provided with a supplemental statement of the case if the issue remains denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA medical opinion regarding the origin of the Veteran's terminal colon cancer and its relationship to service, including herbicide exposure. The appellant will need to provide a supplemental statement of the case after further development.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for scheduling a Travel Board hearing at the earliest available opportunity.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left-sided hemiparesis is a separate and distinct residual of his cerebrovascular accident, not encompassed by his service-connected peripheral neuropathy. As such, he is entitled to service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for prostate disorder, liver degeneration, limb joints degeneration, migraine headaches, and aortic sclerosis were denied. The reduction in the disability rating for seborrheic dermatitis and pityriasis rosea was also found to be improper.

The Veteran is entitled to payment or reimbursement for emergency medical treatment received on January 7, 2002, due to chest pain. The treatment was provided in a non-Department facility and the Veteran met all eligibility criteria under VA regulations.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected Achilles tendon strain/tear with Achilles tendonitis and bursitis and Haglund's Deformity of the right foot is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and reexamining him.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for meningioma, including as due to exposure to ionizing radiation, is being remanded for additional development.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for residuals of cold injuries of the hands and granted service connection, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis is related to his military service.

The Veteran's dental disability, including loss of several teeth due to trauma in service, is not eligible for compensation as it does not meet the criteria for loss of substance of the body of the maxilla or mandible.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected dental disability increased in severity prior to December 16, 2008 and grants an effective date of December 16, 2007 for a 30 percent evaluation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for eye disorders, headaches, PTSD, and anxiety were denied. The Board found no evidence of a current disability related to the claimed conditions or any nexus to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for Bell's palsy and hypophoria causing diplopia, finding that there was no current diagnosis of either condition. The Board also noted that the Veteran had not provided a valid notice of disagreement to his September 2013 rating decision regarding hypertension and sleep apnea secondary to PTSD with depressive disorder.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for accrued benefits as his application was filed more than one year after the death of the Veteran's surviving spouse.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses claim is denied as he did not receive VA medical services within the 24-month period preceding his private hospitalization.

The Board found that the Veteran's pre-existing scoliosis did not increase in severity during service, and thus denied service connection for this condition.

The Board found that the Veteran's current left arm disability is not related to his active service and denied his claim for service connection.