Other conditions Board decisions

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for an initial rating greater than 10 percent for service-connected Crohn's Disease and an initial (compensable) rating for service-connected degenerative joint disease of the right thumb, residual fracture. The RO is instructed to obtain all relevant medical records from Dr. Sator and Dr. Frediman Jones, schedule the veteran for a VA examination regarding his Crohn's Disease and degenerative joint disease of the right thumb, and re-adjudicate the claims.

The Board dismissed the veteran's appeal because he does not have a personal stake in the outcome of the apportionment of his VA disability compensation benefits on behalf of his spouse.

The veteran's claim for payment of unauthorized medical expenses incurred during his hospital stay from January 20 to January 24, 2002 is being remanded due to procedural issues related to the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000 (VCAA).

The veteran's schizoaffective disorder is related to his active duty service and has been granted.

The veteran's thoracic spine disability is productive of severe functional impairment, warranting a higher rating of 20 percent under both the old and amended schedule for rating spine disabilities.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have any current disabling residuals attributable to his history of rheumatic fever, and thus denies a compensable rating for this condition.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for an ulcer disorder due to new and material evidence submitted since the May 1975 rating decision. The case is now remanded for further development.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the veteran does not have a current lung disorder and therefore cannot establish service connection for this condition.

The Board denied service connection for gastroenteritis and did not reopen the claim for a dental disorder.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to ensure compliance with the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000 (VCAA). This includes obtaining all relevant medical records, including those from VA and private healthcare providers. The VBA AMC must also provide proper notice under the VCAA.

The veteran's basic eligibility for Chapter 30 benefits is not at issue. The appeal involves the amount of Chapter 30 benefits to which he is entitled under the law, based on his 25 months of completed active service and a condition that did not result from his own willful misconduct but interfered with his performance of duty.

The Board has granted a 30 percent evaluation for the veteran's service-connected left elbow injury with arthritis, which was previously rated at 20 percent.

The Board denied service connection for an epidermoid tumor of the splenium of the corpus callosum, finding no evidence linking it to service or exposure to herbicides.,The cause of death was also denied as there was insufficient evidence to establish a direct link between any condition and the veteran's demise.

The veteran's claims for service connection for chest pain and an organic brain disorder, claimed as cortical atrophy with dizzy spells and altered mentation, were denied because there is no evidence of a chronic disability manifested by these conditions that can be linked to active service or exposure to herbicides.

The Board found no evidence of an esophageal condition in service or until many years after service, and concluded that the veteran's current esophageal disorder is not related to his exposure to ionizing radiation during service. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Board found that the veteran's claimed residual disorder is not related to his in-service mononucleosis and denied service connection.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for an earlier effective date and service connection, finding that the April 1977 and July 1984 rating decisions denying DIC benefits were not in error. The effective date for DIC benefits was set at August 26, 1991.

The veteran's cause of death, adenocarcinoma of the stomach, was not found to be service-connected due to lack of evidence linking it to his military service or any presumptive conditions.

The veteran's bilateral pes cavus with hammertoes is currently rated at 30 percent for the period from June 30, 1999, to November 4, 2003. The Board has determined that a rating of 50 percent is warranted for this period based on his current condition post-surgery. For the period from January 1, 2004, forward, he is entitled to a temporary evaluation of 100 percent due to surgical treatment necessitating convalescence.

The veteran's claim for service connection for transverse myelitis is remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing proper VCAA notice.