Other conditions Board decisions

The Board has determined that the veteran's duodenal ulcer disability does not meet or approximate the criteria for a rating in excess of 20 percent, as there is no evidence of anemia, weight loss, or recurrent incapacitating episodes averaging 10 days or more at least four times per year.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA examination and obtaining relevant medical records. The veteran's claim for a higher rating is currently pending.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 60 percent for IgA nephropathy, including differential diagnoses of Berger's disease and Henoch-Schonlein purpura, with hypertension and polyarthritis.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current bladder or prostate disability that is related to his military service. The evidence shows no diagnosis of bladder cancer, and benign prostatic hypertrophy was diagnosed many years after service.

The Board found that the veteran's service medical records were negative for any findings attributable to a head injury, and there is no competent evidence linking his current residuals of a head injury to service. The claim was denied.

The Board found that there is no evidence of current stress fractures (shin splints) of the lower extremities and denied service connection for this condition.

The VA granted an increased evaluation of 20 percent for the veteran's service-connected residuals of fractures of the left tibia and fibula, which are currently evaluated as 20 percent disabling.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected malaria is currently asymptomatic and without any residuals, thus denying his claim for a compensable disability rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the veteran's sexual dysfunction is caused or aggravated by his service-connected low back disorder and/or medication for that condition.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for a pulmonary specialist evaluation.

The Board has determined that the veteran's atrial fibrillation, a heart disorder, had its onset during active service and is therefore granted service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for Raynaud's Syndrome, finding that his disability did not warrant a higher evaluation.

The veteran is currently receiving a 70 percent rating for his bilateral pterygium since February 10, 2004. Prior to that date, he was not entitled to any compensable evaluation due to the loss of vision being attributed to other causes. After August 14, 2002, the VA received evidence indicating that the veteran's loss of vision is due to his pterygium.

The Board found that the cause of death, pneumonia, was not caused by or aggravated by a service-connected disability. The veteran did not have a permanent total service-connected disability at the time of his death and it is not established that his death was due to a service-connected disability.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected duodenal ulcer disease is productive of no more than mild symptoms, and does not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation. The current evaluation of 10 percent adequately compensates the veteran's disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right fifth finger disorder did not increase in severity during service and is not related to any incident of his active military service. As a result, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Board denied the claim for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151, finding that the veteran's death was not caused by VA treatment and did not play a causal role in his death.

The veteran's death was not service-connected, and therefore the appellant is not eligible for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected anxiety neurosis did not substantially or materially contribute to his death from atherosclerotic cardiac disease. The cause of death was attributed to the heart disorder, which had been diagnosed post-service.

The veteran's service-connected scars of the left forehead and right mandible, due to basal cell carcinoma, have been rated at 10 percent since February 1, 2002, and increased to 30 percent effective from August 30, 2002. The initial compensable rating for chest, upper back, right shoulder, and left shoulder scars has not yet been granted.