Other conditions decisions — 2014

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and arranging for VA examinations to assess the etiology of the Veteran's claimed skin disability affecting the left hand and digestive condition.

The Board has determined that the appellant's deceased husband did not have recognized active service in the U.S. Armed Forces, and therefore is not eligible for non-service connected death pension.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected thoracic spine disability.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for a right eye disorder and a temporary 100 percent evaluation based on convalescence. The Board has determined that additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing an opinion regarding the etiology of the right eye disorder, is necessary.

The Veteran's cause of death, non-small cell lung carcinoma, is not related to his service. The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death.

The Veteran's skin disorder is being remanded for further examination and evaluation due to the need for an active flare of symptoms during a VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for his service-connected herpes simplex must be remanded to allow the Veteran to undergo a new VA examination to determine the current severity of his condition.

The Veteran's surviving spouse has been recognized for VA death benefits purposes, and DIC benefits under the provisions of 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 have also been granted due to his service-connected non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The claim for nonservice-connected death pension benefits is dismissed as it is moot.

The Board found no evidence of a current heart disease or any other heart disability related to service, concluding that the Veteran's heart murmur is due to a congenital defect.,There is insufficient evidence linking the Veteran's fatty liver condition to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of cold injuries to his upper and lower extremities are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and a VA examination.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of left ulnar nerve transposition, including as secondary to a total left wrist fusion secondary to injury with degenerative changes. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to service or any other compensable event, disease, or condition.

The Veteran's right eye disability, including optic nerve drusen and visual field impairment, was found to meet the criteria for a compensable rating of 10% as of February 28, 2012.

The Veteran's bilateral eye disability, with no light perception in the right eye and corrected visual acuity of 20/30 or better in the left eye, is rated at 40 percent. The claim for TDIU remains pending.

The Veteran's left femur disability is currently evaluated as 10 percent disabling. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher evaluation, and thus denies an increased rating for his service-connected left femur disability. Additionally, the Veteran's claim for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities has also been denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a chronic heart disability, but his chest pain is not related to service. However, it is as likely as not that his chest pain is aggravated by his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has granted the appellant's claim for accrued benefits, and thus there is no remaining case or controversy to address.

The Board has determined that there is no service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, and therefore DIC cannot be granted.

The Veteran's residuals of a mandible fracture are rated at 40 percent, the maximum schedular rating available under DC 9913, for the entire period on appeal.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to inadequate VA examination and new evidence submitted. The case will be reviewed again after the additional development.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical records and failure to notify the appellant of the inability to obtain these records. The Veteran's cause of death was acute respiratory failure, with underlying causes including sepsis, aspiration pneumonia, and cerebrovascular accident.