Other conditions Board decisions

The Board found that the cause of the veteran's death, metastatic head and neck cancer, was not related to his active military service. The preponderance of evidence did not support a finding that the cancer was caused by or aggravated during his time in service.

The veteran is seeking earlier effective dates for awards of dependency benefits and a total rating by reason of individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities. The case is being remanded for further action at VA medical facilities in Arizona, Colorado, and Florida.

The Board denied service connection for paroxysmal atrial flutter/fibrillation with shortness of breath and dizziness, finding no evidence of a chronic disability during active duty or within the presumptive period.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess his employability due to service-connected disabilities.

The VA has determined that the veteran's service-connected right sacroiliac joint injury and herniated nucleus pulposus at L5-S1 without evidence of radiculopathy warrants a 20 percent rating.

The VA has determined that the veteran does not have a current diagnosis of throat cancer and there is no evidence linking it to service or herbicide exposure. As such, the claim for service connection for throat cancer as secondary to herbicide exposure is denied.

The veteran's claim for an initial (compensable) rating for nonunion of the mandible is being remanded due to a deficient VA examination. The case will be returned to the RO for further adjudication.

The Board denied the veteran's request to reopen his service connection claim for lung disability due to lack of new and material evidence, including a statement from his pastor.

The veteran's claim for a permanent and total rating for pension purposes was received on March 5, 2004. The effective date of the award is set to that date.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for scheduling a personal hearing at the RO before a Veterans Law Judge, either via a Travel Board or video conference. The veteran's appeal will be considered after the hearing is conducted.

The veteran's claims for service connection and evaluations of xerostomia and partial loss of taste were granted, with the xerostomia receiving a 30 percent evaluation effective July 7, 2005.

The Board has determined that the case must be remanded to the VAMC for additional evidentiary development, including a medical opinion on whether VA facilities were 'feasibly available' given the nature of the veteran's injuries and travel distances.

The veteran's service-connected reflux esophagitis and deformed duodenum with duodenitis, secondary to a duodenal ulcer, has been granted an initial 10 percent evaluation since December 2, 1997.

The Board has determined that the veteran's Osgood Schlatter's disease, which was diagnosed and treated during service, underwent a permanent increase in severity as a result of military service. Therefore, service connection is granted for this condition.

The Board found no evidence of a current dental disability related to the veteran's active service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's left foot conditions and assigned a 10 percent evaluation for each condition. The veteran is not entitled to an increased rating for either condition.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations and a compensable rating were denied. The RO found that the veteran did not meet criteria for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for residuals of shell fragment wounds to his right thigh, right forearm, or abdomen. His exploratory laparotomy scar was also denied a compensable rating.

The veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred on November 2, 2003 were denied as the VA facility was feasibly available and he left against medical advice.

The Board determined that the appellant's father did not have qualifying military service for VA benefits, as verified by the United States service department.

The Board found no evidence of chronic residuals of fragment wounds to the inner aspects of the thighs due to active service and denied both claims for service connection.