Other conditions decisions — 2017

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and a mental disorders examination. The Veteran's personality disorder may have been aggravated by his military service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hallux valgus and denied his claims for service connection for right and left leg disabilities. The Veteran's hallux valgus is considered a direct result of his military service, while his claimed right and left leg conditions are not supported by the evidence.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for all issues related to the facial dog bite residuals, left third finger amputation residuals, fourth finger tuft fracture residuals, and fifth finger degenerative joint disease. The Board dismissed these appeals.

The Board has granted a rating of 20 percent for the Veteran's left acromioclavicular joint injury and degenerative joint disease before December 5, 2008.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess the current severity of his bilateral wrist disabilities. The case will be readjudicated after this additional development.

The Veteran is granted a 100 percent rating for the time period with his ostomy and for three months of convalescence afterward, and a 60 percent rating from June 14, 2006 forward. TDIU is also granted.

The Veteran's bowel and bladder dysfunction is not found to be related to his service-connected lumbar spine disability, thus a separate rating for neurologic impairment associated with the lumbar spine disability is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a new VA examination to determine the etiology of her breast cancer with maxillary metastasis, and to address her theory that it may be related to radiation exposure from an increased number of mammograms due to her service-connected fibrocystic breast disease.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals of an avulsion fracture of the left talar dome have been manifested by symptoms such as pain and marked limitation of motion, but no effective function remains other than what would be equally well served by an amputation with prosthesis. The criteria for a rating in excess of 20 percent are not met.

The Veteran's balance disorder is not shown to be related to his service or any service-connected disability, and the Board finds that secondary service connection for this condition cannot be granted.

The Veteran's nasal fracture, post-septoplasty, reconstruction and rhinoplasty is rated at the maximum available schedular rating of 10 percent. The claim for a higher rating is denied.

The Veteran was granted service connection for bursitis of the left hip and a rating of 30% effective March 26, 2012. The issue of throat disability is not addressed as there is no current diagnosis.,Service connection for epicondylitis of the right elbow is granted with an initial rating of 30%. Prior to March 26, 2012, a higher rating was denied. Service connection for degenerative arthrosis of the left knee from January 13, 2006 to August 26, 2008, and from October 1, 2008 is not granted.

The Veteran withdrew their appeal for the issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU). As a result, the Board has dismissed this case.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to determine the etiology of the Veteran's skin disorder, specifically addressing his contentions about itching and 'white patches' on exposure to heat since service in Vietnam.

The Veteran's laryngeal carcinoma is found to be related to asbestos exposure during his active service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for the Veteran's residuals of a left supraclavicular injury, which is rated as analogous to bursitis. The disability manifests in limited motion with flare-ups causing pain and limitation below shoulder level.

The Board found that the Veteran's right thigh disability was not caused or aggravated by military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral vascular disease of the right and left lower extremities, as well as a prostate disorder, have been denied. The Board found that there is no current evidence of these conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete VA treatment records and requests for additional medical releases. The appeal will be reconsidered after these records are obtained.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnosis of nocturnal leg cramps, which is not service-connected, was incurred in or related to his active duty service. As a result, the claim for service connection for this condition is granted.