Other conditions decisions — 2014

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records and scheduling a VA scar examination.

The appellant is not eligible to receive a one-time payment from the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund as he does not meet the eligibility criteria for surviving children.

The Board granted service connection for chest pain as an undiagnosed illness and costochondritis, finding that the Veteran presented objective indications of chronic disability resulting from an undiagnosed illness. The claim was reopened on new evidence.

The Board has determined that the Appellant is not recognized as the surviving spouse of the Veteran for VA death benefits purposes due to her remarriage subsequent to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death, and no jurisdiction remains for the merits of this claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected left index finger disability, characterized by loss of use and degenerative joint disease, does not warrant a rating in excess of the current 10 percent assigned under Diagnostic Code 5225.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a thoracic aortic aneurysm has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not currently have a separate and distinct diagnosed disability of the right ring finger or left calf, and thus cannot establish service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected costochondritis has been granted and assigned a noncompensable rating, effective October 18, 2011.

The Board has remanded the case for scheduling a videoconference hearing due to the appellant's request.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the onset of the Veteran's restless leg syndrome during service and whether it is related to his military service.

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

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to obtain recent medical records and provide the necessary releases.

The Veteran's claim for reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Charleston Area Medical Center from February 14, 2012 to February 16, 2012 is granted as the services were rendered in a medical emergency and no VA facility was feasibly available.

The Board has granted service connection for left and right lower extremity thrombophlebitis, with initial evaluations of 10 percent each. The Veteran's complaints include pain, fatigue, aching, and intermittent swelling in his legs after prolonged standing or walking.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for venous insufficiency is being remanded due to inadequate examination and opinion regarding the etiology of his condition, including his claimed swollen ankles in service.

The Veteran's service-connected xiphoid area sternal strain is currently evaluated as 10 percent disabling. The Board finds that the current rating adequately compensates for his disability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a prostate disability, including prostatitis and benign prostatic hypertrophy. The evidence does not support a finding that his current condition is related to his active military service.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and there is no evidence of herbicide exposure or other presumptive conditions contributing to his death. The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence does not support a grant of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for varicose veins of the right leg and TDIU were denied. The Board found that his service-connected condition did not meet the schedular criteria for a higher evaluation, and that he was not unemployable due to this disability alone.