Other conditions Board decisions

The Veteran's tissue injury in chest is rated at 10 percent, and the effective date for service connection of mood disorder with depression and anxiety remains January 27, 2011. The Board granted a TDIU on an extra-schedular basis prior to July 14, 2011 and on and after October 26, 2011.

The appeal has been withdrawn by the appellant's representative before a decision was made.

The Veteran's current porphyria cutanea tarda did not begin during, or was otherwise caused by, his active service, to include any alleged herbicide exposure therein. Therefore, the claim for service connection is denied.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for recognition as the surviving spouse, for purposes of eligibility for VA non-service-connected death pension benefits due to her remarriage and lack of legal basis for reinstatement.

The Veteran's claim for accrued benefits was not timely filed, and therefore the criteria for entitlement to accrued benefits are not met.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of May 2010 for additional compensation for a dependent spouse, finding that the evidence did not meet the regulatory requirements for an earlier effective date.

The Veteran seeks payment or reimbursement for medical expenses incurred at a private facility on November 30, 2010 and December 7, 2010. The claim is currently pending as the VAMC denied it due to lack of prior authorization. The case is being remanded to obtain additional records from Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's left eye disorder, which may be related to service. The Veteran is seeking service connection for a current eye condition that he believes was caused by in-service mortar blasts.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's obesity is not etiologically related to his active service and is not caused or aggravated by any of his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's unauthorized private medical expenses incurred at Salina Regional Health Center from July 8, 2011 to July 11, 2011 were not authorized prior to receipt and the Veteran refused treatment at a feasibly available VA facility. Therefore, reimbursement is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran did not make a valid, irrevocable election to receive Chapter 33 education benefits.

The Board denied the appellant's request for a Government-furnished Medallion to be affixed to the Veteran's headstone in a private cemetery due to the Veteran having died before November 1, 1990.

The Veteran's request for a hearing has been noted, but no hearing has yet been provided. The case is being remanded to schedule the Veteran for a travel Board hearing.

The Appellant's recognized guerrilla service and Philippine Army service from March 1945 to August 1945 is not qualifying military service for basic eligibility to nonservice-connected disability pension.

The Veteran's service-connected chronic prostatitis with cystitis was initially rated as zero percent disabling prior to December 5, 2011. As of that date, the rating has been increased to 20 percent.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for esophageal cancer and a skin disorder, both claimed as due to exposure to Agent Orange. The cancers were not shown to be related to his military service or exposure to herbicides.

The Veteran's laboratory tests performed at Mason General Hospital were covered by prior authorization for a GI evaluation and colonoscopy, so the cost is now granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for ratings in excess of 30 percent for his service-connected gunshot wounds to the right foot and leg, finding that the combined rating for these disabilities cannot exceed 40 percent due to the amputation rule.

The Board found that the Veteran's weight loss, leg cramps, dizziness, and joint pain were not incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative joint disease of the first metatarsophalangeal joint of the right toe is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.