Other conditions Board decisions

The Board denied the appellant's claim to be recognized as the surviving spouse of the veteran for VA death benefits purposes due to lack of a valid marriage and no child born of the union.

The Board has determined that the correct effective date for the veteran's non-service-connected pension award is January 17, 2002, and the first payment of pension was made on February 1, 2002.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have qualifying service for VA pension benefits and therefore is not eligible for these benefits.

The Board found that the Osgood-Schlatter Disease of the right knee preexisted service and was not aggravated by active military service, thus denying the claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hammertoes of the right foot, which were surgically corrected during service, are not related to his period of active duty.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a foot disability, including gout, bilateral Tailor's bunion and onychomycosis, and for an initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent for PTSD.

The veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred from June 28, 2002, through June 30, 2002 was denied as VA did not provide prior authorization and the veteran could have been transferred to a VA facility instead. The claim was also denied due to lack of timely filing within 90 days after discharge.

The Board denied service connection for varicose veins of the left leg and peripheral vascular disease, phlebitis, and cellulitis of the left leg due to a lack of clear and unmistakable evidence that these conditions pre-existed service or were not aggravated during service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for a chronic acquired bilateral eye disorder.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claims for service connection for ear and foot disorders. The veteran presented testimony indicating he had no preexisting ear disorder on enlistment but developed recurring ear problems during service, which led to his discharge from active duty. He also testified about a pre-existing bilateral foot disorder that was aggravated in service, resulting in surgery times eight toes for hammertoe release and tendon transfer post-service.

The veteran's appeal for payment or reimbursement of medical expenses incurred at a private facility in September 2002 was denied because prior authorization from VA was not obtained, and he is not eligible under the provisions of 38 U.S.C.A. § 1725 as an active Department health-care participant.

The Board has granted the veteran's claim for service connection for the residuals of a cholecystectomy, finding that the gallstones noted in 1993 were aggravated during service and warranting their surgical removal.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for the cause of her husband's death, DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151, and Dependents' Educational Assistance under Chapter 35, Title 38 due to a lack of evidence linking any disability to service.

The Board found no current evidence of a mitral valve disorder and concluded that the veteran's condition was not caused by VA treatment, thus denying his claim under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including a VA examination to determine the severity of his service-connected hiatal hernia and consideration of other relevant medical records. The case will be reviewed again after these steps are completed.

The VA determined that the veteran's right forehead laceration scar does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation, as it is asymptomatic and non-disfiguring with no evidence of ulceration or skin breakdown.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and for a VA examination. The case will be readjudicated after these actions.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected psychoneurosis with gastrointestinal complaints is being remanded due to the need for additional development and VCAA compliance.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete consideration of evidence and the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and providing the veteran with another opportunity to submit information or evidence.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the veteran's chronic prostatitis, a current disability, was incurred during his active military service. The opinion linking this current condition to symptoms in service is considered sufficient.