Other conditions Board decisions

The Board found that the veteran's claims for service connection for lung disability and nicotine dependence with continued tobacco use leading to a lung disorder are not well-grounded. The evidence did not support a finding of in-service exposure or disease, nor could it be determined if current lung disabilities were related to service.

The veteran's service-connected postoperative varicose veins in both lower extremities do not render him unable to engage in substantially gainful employment, as his other nonservice-connected disabilities and age prevent him from securing and maintaining such employment.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right wrist disability was aggravated by a fall while using a defective wheelchair issued by VA, and his bilateral rotator cuff disease is secondary to his service-connected right wrist disability. As such, compensation benefits are granted for both conditions.

The Board denied service connection for leukemia, finding that the evidence did not support a direct relationship to service or exposure to Agent Orange.

The veteran's appeals for increased ratings were dismissed as he withdrew his appeal in March 2000.

The veteran's claim for payment of unauthorized medical treatment is denied as the condition did not meet the criteria for emergency care.

The Board found that the appellant's panic disorder, with agoraphobia, did not present an exceptional or unusual disability picture due to service-connected conditions and thus denied submission of an extra-schedular evaluation.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for residuals of a snake bite as there is no medical evidence of a current disability and no nexus between any incident during service, including the snake bite in July 1951, and the appellant's current complaints.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for residuals of a fracture of the posterior malleous of the right tibia was denied due to his failure to report for a scheduled VA examination.

The Board has determined that there is no causal relationship between the veteran's service-connected psoriatic arthritis and his Crohn's disease, thus denying the claim for secondary service connection.

The appeal has been dismissed as the appellant withdrew his appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board found that the veteran's presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome (POHS) is not attributable to his period of active military service.

The Board granted service connection for cataracts and chondromalacia of the right and left patella, but denied service connection for arthritis-multiple joints. The veteran's claims were based on direct evidence rather than a presumption or secondary service connection.

The Board has determined that the appellant's left thorax disability is no more than 10 percent disabling based on the schedular criteria and does not warrant extraschedular consideration. The total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is also denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected degenerative joint and disc disease of the lumbar spine warrants a 40 percent evaluation, effective from August 15, 1995.

The veteran's claim for a compensable rating for residuals of a left tympanoplasty was denied as there is no evidence of an active middle ear or mastoid disease, and the veteran does not have any diagnosed ear infections associated with his left tympanoplasty.

The case is being remanded for further development of the appellant's income and medical records to determine if she was receiving additional compensation or payments, which could affect her claim for waiver of recovery of overpayment of death pension benefits.

The Board denied the reopening of a claim for service connection for bilateral frozen feet, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted.

The Board found that the veteran's cancer of the larynx was not related to service or a service-connected disability, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Board found that the appellant's claim for service connection for a muscle hernia of the left leg was not well grounded and denied it.