Other conditions Board decisions

The veteran's appeal is remanded due to inadequate medical evidence on which to rate his service-connected heart disorder. The RO must request complete copies of the veteran's VA treatment records from the Minneapolis VAMC for treatment of his cardiovascular disabilities since August 2004, and schedule him for an appropriate VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to a lack of service medical records and for an examination to determine if current arthritis is related to a 1974 injury at Fort Sills, Oklahoma.

The Board denied the claim for benefits for spina bifida, claimed to be caused by exposure to Agent Orange during service. The decision found that the veteran's father was not a 'Vietnam veteran' as defined and thus did not meet eligibility criteria.

The Board found that the veteran's claimed duodenal ulcer was not incurred in or aggravated by service and denied his claim.

The veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the impact of his service-connected vagotomy and pyloroplasty on his employment and the nature and severity of his symptoms.

The Board denied a compensable evaluation for malaria, finding that the veteran does not currently have any residuals of malaria.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected partial gastrectomy and ventral hernia did not cause or contribute substantially to his death due to dementia.

The VA has determined that the veteran's duodenal ulcer, postoperative vagotomy and antrectomy with reflux esophagitis warrants a 40 percent rating under the applicable diagnostic codes. The evidence does not support a higher rating.

The Board found that the veteran's current testicular pain is not due to carelessness, negligence, or lack of proper skill on the part of VA in performing a bilateral epididymectomy and testicular biopsy in 1986. The Board concluded that the additional disability was not proximately due to VA action.

The Board found that the veteran's cause of death, acute leukemia and myelodysplasia, was not caused by a service-connected disability or exposure to mustard gas during service. The evidence did not support the appellant's claims.

The Board has ordered the RO to verify the exact dates of active and inactive duty in the National Guard, specifically including 1994. The claim will be reviewed again after this information is obtained.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development to determine if there is any residual of a right posterior thigh muscle strain and to obtain medical opinions regarding the severity of the veteran's right knee disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current gastrointestinal disorder related to his military service and has denied entitlement to service connection for this condition. The right knee disability evaluations are also denied as they do not meet the criteria for increased ratings.

The Board found that the veteran's left shoulder disability, characterized by limited motion and pain, warranted a 20% rating but not higher.

The Board has determined that the veteran's death was not caused by his service-connected varicose veins, and therefore denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected bursitis of the left shoulder, finding that the current 30 percent disability rating adequately reflects the severity and symptoms of his condition.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right Achilles tendon condition was not incurred or aggravated during his active military service.

The Board has determined that the appellant did not have service in the United States Armed Forces, including as a member of the Philippine Commonwealth Army or recognized guerrillas. Therefore, the appellant is not considered a veteran for VA benefits purposes.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for an effective date prior to July 13, 2000, for death pension benefits as there was no evidence of a prior claim being received within one year after the veteran's death in August 1972.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral patellofemoral pain syndrome does not warrant an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for either knee.