Other conditions Board decisions

The Board denied an increased rating for essential tremors of the hands, finding that the disability is only mild and does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board denied the veteran's request for a waiver of overpayment of improved disability pension benefits, calculated at $1,803.00 from June to October 1998 due to financial hardship.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized ambulance expenses incurred in connection with treatment at Seven Rivers Community Hospital on December 15, 1998. The Board found that the ambulance services were not provided in a medical emergency of such nature that delay would have been hazardous to life or health.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and readjudication due to inadequate examination findings, unclear findings of early degenerative changes, and potential combination of ratings for both knees.

The appellant's husband is not shown to have had active military, naval or air service, or service as a member of the Philippine Commonwealth Army. The appeal is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence received and other pending development, including obtaining service medical records and verifying treatment from non-VA providers.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an initial disability evaluation in excess of 30 percent for lung disease manifested by pleural plaques and for an effective date prior to December 5, 1995, for service connection. The veteran was assigned a 30 percent rating since December 5, 1995.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for the cause of his death and DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318, finding that there was no evidence linking his esophageal cancer to service or any presumptive conditions.

The veteran's claim for an effective date prior to January 13, 1998, for a 10 percent evaluation for bilateral defective hearing is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right foot disorder, specifically hammer toes of the second, third, fourth, and fifth toes, was aggravated during his period of active service. The decision grants service connection for this condition.

The veteran is seeking service connection for basal cell carcinoma of the left brow, which was excised. The claim will be remanded to determine if it can be linked to exposure to ionizing radiation during service.

The veteran's appeal for service connection for a skin disorder secondary to Agent Orange exposure has been dismissed due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal.

The Board finds that the veteran's lung disability is secondary to his nicotine dependence, which he developed during service. The additional pulmonary disability resulting from the March 1974 surgery is also considered secondary to his nicotine dependence.

The veteran's permanent and total disability rating was granted retroactively to August 4, 1992. The appellant filed for educational assistance benefits on July 10, 1998, which is after the one-year period prior to her father's effective date of August 4, 1992. Therefore, she is denied a retroactive award.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for an increased rating for service-connected residuals of a fracture of the left distal fibula and for special monthly compensation for loss of use of the left foot.

The VA determined that the veteran's chalazions of the left eyelid have resolved without causing any functional or visual impairment, and thus denied his claim for an initial compensable evaluation.

The Board found that the veteran's bilateral varicose veins were no more than moderate in degree prior to January 12, 1998 and have remained so since then. Effective from January 12, 1998, his right and left leg varicose veins have been manifested by intermittent edema of the extremity or aching and fatigue after prolonged standing or walking, with symptoms relieved by elevation of the extremity.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a left thigh condition, also claimed as residuals of a burn to the left thigh. The examiner found no evidence linking the current left thigh disorder to any injury in service.

The Board denied service connection for a gastrointestinal disability as secondary to the veteran's service-connected low back disability, finding that no current chronic gastrointestinal disability was present.

The veteran seeks service connection for Raynaud's disease and traumatic arthritis of the hands, claimed as secondary to frostbite. The Board has determined that additional development is needed due to lack of medical opinion regarding causation.