Other conditions Board decisions

The Board finds that the appellant is eligible to be recognized as the surviving spouse of the Veteran for VA benefits purposes, including entitlement to death pension and DIC benefits. The decision resolves all doubts in favor of the appellant.

The Board denied the Appellant's claim for NSC pension benefits due to a lack of verified service, finding that he did not have qualifying service as a member of the Philippine Commonwealth Army including recognized guerrillas in the service of the United States Armed Forces.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for cataracts has been dismissed as she withdrew her appeal prior to the Board's decision.

The Veteran is seeking compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for right ear disfigurement and sensitivity to temperature changes, which he claims resulted from a September 2010 wedge excision of his right ear lesion without informed consent. The case is being remanded for further development including an advisory medical opinion.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for residuals of carcinoma of the larynx, finding that the evidence did not show thickening or nodules of cords, polyps, submucous infiltration, or pre-malignant changes on biopsy to warrant a higher 30 percent rating.

The Veteran's nephrolithiasis is currently rated at 30 percent, but the Board finds that it does not meet or exceed the criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Veteran's claim for a clothing allowance is being remanded due to his request for a video-conference hearing. The case will be returned to the Board after the scheduled hearing.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a respiratory disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability related to her in-service burn, and thus cannot establish service connection for the claimed condition.

The Veteran's right index finger fracture is rated at 10 percent, and the laceration of the fingertip with loss of the fingertip is rated at 0 percent. Both conditions are considered to be directly related to service.,Neither condition has been found to warrant a higher rating based on additional factors such as pain or functional loss.

The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for service-connected granuloma annulare is being remanded due to the need for additional examination and development.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability, which includes acromioclavicular joint degenerative changes and tendonitis, is currently rated at 30 percent. The Board finds this rating to be appropriate given the current findings and the Veteran's reported symptoms.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for schizoaffective disorder was granted, and the effective date is set at April 14, 2000.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current upper gastrointestinal disability, and there is no evidence of such during service. The Veteran's claimed right eye and left eye disabilities are also denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to missing service treatment records and a need for further development. The Veteran's claim for service connection for urinary frequency will be reconsidered after obtaining these records.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and a videoconference hearing. The Veteran's claims of service connection for back pain and memory loss are still pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cardiac disorder, to include ASHD with angina pectoris, did not begin during or within one year of his discharge from service and is not etiologically related to his active service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for a cardiac disorder was denied.

The Board granted separate 10 percent disability ratings for each knee based on limitation of motion, effective from January 1, 2009.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Giardia lamblia infection and its residuals is denied as there is no objective evidence of either an on-going infection or residual symptoms.