Other conditions Board decisions

The Board denied a compensable disability rating for the veteran's service-connected bilateral otitis media with left postoperative cholesteatoma, finding no evidence of active infection or disease process in either ear.

The veteran's initial claim for a compensable evaluation for postoperative residuals of a bone spur, left heel was granted. The RO also granted service connection for chronic muscle strain of the right hip and assigned a noncompensable rating effective from November 1, 1996.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for residuals of an eye injury due to new and material evidence submitted since the September 1989 rating decision.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for cysts on his face, neck and chest as well as a tumor of the left testicle. The denial was based on lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for multiple joint arthritis and granted it, finding that new evidence supports a direct link to his active military service.

The Board found that the veteran's atrophy of the testicles with history of ecchymosis began during service and was either caused or aggravated by his in-service injuries, thus granting service connection for this condition.

The Board denied an increased rating for the veteran's service-connected residuals of a shrapnel wound of the left pleural cavity with retained foreign bodies, as his disability is currently rated at 20 percent and does not warrant a higher evaluation.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for residuals of a left orchiectomy, which was initially denied in December 1983. The decision is based on the fact that the provided evidence does not relate the condition to service.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has denied the claim for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151, finding that the veteran's death was not caused by VA hospitalization and that there is no evidence to support a claim of negligence or fault on the part of the VA in causing his malnutrition with anemia.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence to support service connection for cramping of the extremities or weight loss due to undiagnosed illness. The veteran's lumbar muscle strain remains rated at 20 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for hives due to undiagnosed illness, but denied service connection for joint pain.

The veteran withdrew his appeal for an increased rating for residuals of a simple fracture of the medial tibial plateau of the left knee and lateral portion of the left tibia with degenerative joint disease.

The Board found that the veteran's preexisting right eye disorder did not increase in severity during service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has granted a 10 percent rating for the veteran's service-connected duodenitis/gastritis, finding that it results in mild impairment with symptoms of abdominal pain, gas, and bloating. The veteran is not entitled to a higher rating as his disability does not meet the criteria for moderate or severe disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected hammertoes and enlarged tonsils, finding that the evidence did not support a finding of entitlement to these benefits.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for residuals of trench feet due to new and material evidence, including opinions from private physicians linking current foot disabilities to inservice exposure to cold weather.

The Board denied service connection for left frontal meningioma as secondary to radiation exposure in service and the claim for a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss. The low back disorder was granted service connection but not rated compensably.

The Board found that the RO decisions denying entitlement to a higher rate of special monthly compensation from an earlier effective date were not clear and unmistakable error, based on the evidence then of record.

The veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 100 percent, effective from July 18, 1998.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed bilateral ear disorder, gastrointestinal disorder, and gunshot wound residuals are not service-connected.