Other conditions Board decisions

The veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death.

The Board has determined that the reduction of the veteran's right lung middle lobe carcinoid evaluation from 100% to 10% was not proper, as there is no evidence of recurrence or metastasis and the reduction did not take into account the appropriate time period under VA regulations.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected residuals of shell fragment wounds do not warrant an increased rating for the right posterior chest, but a compensable rating is granted for the right thigh.

The veteran is not entitled to service connection for bilateral athlete's foot as there was no evidence of the condition during active service and no medical nexus between current symptoms and service.

The Board has granted service connection for a duodenal ulcer and erosive gastritis, finding that the veteran's use of pain medication for his low back disability likely caused these gastrointestinal issues.

The Board has granted service connection for gastrointestinal bleeding as secondary to the use of Naprosyn medication for the veteran's service-connected headache disorder, extending the benefit of doubt to the veteran.

The Board has granted a 100 percent evaluation for the service connected left pleural cavity injury, which requires outpatient oxygen therapy.

The veteran's BCC was not manifest in service or within one year of service separation and is unrelated to any incident of service origin, including claimed Mustard Gas exposure.

The veteran's appeal is dismissed due to his death.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected status post bunionectomy and osteotomy of the right great toe with hallux valgus is currently rated at the maximum disability rating available under Diagnostic Code 5280, which is a 10 percent evaluation. The evidence does not support an increase in this rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's degenerative joint disease of both knees warrants a 10 percent evaluation, effective from March 25, 1994. The RO increased the evaluation for left knee disability to 20 percent as of June 20, 2002.

The Board has determined that the claims folder does not reflect that the veteran was advised of changes brought about by the recently enacted Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000. The case is remanded for compliance with the VCAA and additional development.

The veteran's claim for a TDIU rating was granted, effective from December 6, 1999. The Board found that the schedular requirements were not met prior to this date.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his service-connected residuals of a fracture of the right fifth metacarpal, currently rated at 10 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for VA death benefits due to his dishonorable discharge from service, finding that none of the exceptions to the bar on entitlement to VA benefits applies.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for a compensable rating for his service-connected malaria, finding that there is no objective evidence of residual liver, spleen or other organ damage.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of his death.

The Board denied service connection for a respiratory disability and a chronic disability of the circulatory system, finding no evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding no new and material evidence to reopen the claim.

The Board has granted a 40 percent rating for the veteran's residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right leg, effective July 3, 2001.