Other conditions Board decisions

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for the veteran's right knee disability, characterized as patellofemoral pain syndrome with frequent episodes of locking and cartilage tear. The highest schedular rating available under Diagnostic Code 5258 is assigned.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the veteran does not have fibrositis or any residual disability resulting from fibrositis and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his temporomandibular joint dysfunction, status post fracture of the mandible. The disability is currently rated at 10 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for a skin disability and a stomach disability, finding that new and material evidence was not presented to reopen these claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased disability rating and a temporary total rating due to lack of evidence supporting an extraschedular evaluation.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a liver disorder and his cause of death, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that the veteran's cause of death, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, was not caused by exposure to ionizing radiation in service and did not contribute substantially or materially to his death. The VA concluded that there was no reasonable possibility that the veteran's death was due to his exposure to ionizing radiation during service.

The Board denied a higher rating for the veteran's dorsal spine injury, finding that his disability did not meet criteria for a higher rating based on limitation of motion or deformity.

The Board found that the veteran does not currently have a disability manifested by memory loss and loss of concentration, thus denying service connection for these conditions.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for residuals of a back injury due to new and material evidence received since the November 1966 rating decision. The issue will now be addressed under a merits analysis.

The Board has determined that the veteran's nicotine dependence does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation, as he stopped smoking in the early 1990s and is currently not dependent on nicotine. The COPD disability remains rated at 30 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for chest pain and ingrown toenail, finding no current evidence of these conditions.

The Board found that the veteran's pericarditis resolved in service without evidence of current disability. For hypoglycemia, the Board noted a history but did not find any disease related to service. The appeal is considered 'mixed' as some issues were granted and others were denied.

The Board has determined that an earlier effective date for the award of nonservice-connected death pension benefits, including special monthly pension based on need for regular aid and attendance, is not warranted. The RO denied pension in December 1997 due to lack of income information, but granted it as of October 7, 1997.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the veteran's current vision loss due to macular degeneration is proximately due to his service-connected arteriosclerotic heart disease with vascular hypertension and arteriosclerosis, granting the claim for secondary service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current disability from shoulder disorders related to his active military service, and thus is not entitled to service connection for right or left shoulder disorders.

The Board has granted a higher rating of 50 percent for the veteran's dysthymic disorder, finding that it causes occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity.

The veteran's claim for nonservice-connected pension benefits was denied because his service did not meet the minimum of 90 days required for such entitlement, and he had not been medically discharged from service for a service-connected disability.