Other conditions Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and for a VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected Chiari malformation with syringomyelia.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses for treatment at Riverside Methodist Hospital on October 24, 2008 are denied as the treatment was not rendered in a medical emergency of such nature that delay would have been hazardous to life or health.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. No service connection issues were addressed as the appeal was not about a claim for service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's fractured right femur occurred prior to service and did not permanently worsen during service. The claim for residuals of a right femur fracture was denied as there is no evidence of aggravation.

The Board has remanded the case due to missing documents in the claims file, including a VA Form 10-10EZR signed by the Veteran and any documents pertaining to a waiver request. The claim will be readjudicated after these documents are obtained.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's dysthymia, as shown by competent evidence of record, has been so severe as to preclude substantially gainful employment from November 2, 2001. The criteria for entitlement to TDIU benefits prior to November 2, 2001 have not been met.

The Veteran's service-connected right leg disorder, including arthritis and edema, has been granted. The left leg disorder is also service connected but the rating assigned does not meet the criteria for SMC at the housebound rate.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination and opinion on whether there is clear and unmistakable evidence that the Veteran's respiratory disability was not aggravated by active service, or if any permanent worsening was due to the natural progression of the disease.

The Veteran's service-connected dysthymic disorder with cyclothymic disorder is currently rated at 50 percent disabling effective September 21, 2010. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating.

The Board found that the Veteran was insane at the time of committing offenses leading to his discharge under other than honorable conditions, thus finding that his character of discharge is not a bar to VA benefits.

The Veteran's service-connected duodenal ulcer has been rated at 20 percent disabling, and the evidence does not show symptoms that warrant a higher rating.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of infectious mononucleosis and chronic liver disease, including as due to herbicide exposure. The Veteran's liver disease was not found to be related to his in-service condition or any other service-connected disability.

The Board has granted a 100 percent disability rating for the Veteran's gout since December 14, 2006. Prior to that date, the Veteran was not entitled to an increased rating.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claim of service connection for Mônière's disease. The Veteran currently suffers from this condition, which is considered a direct result of his military service.

The Veteran seeks service connection for a right foot condition, which he attributes to physical training during service. The case is being remanded for further development and an examination.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for nonservice-connected disability pension was denied as his original claim had been considered abandoned due to failure to submit required income and net worth information within one year of VA's request. The effective date for the payment of pension benefits is set at December 1, 2006.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. � 1151 for venipuncture complex regional pain syndrome, type II, was denied as there is no evidence of chronic residual damage in the left upper extremity resulting from the February 2009 venipuncture.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a new VA examination to assess the severity of his post gastrectomy syndrome. The TDIU claim will also be developed.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for a bulging disc, which he claims was incurred during his military service. The case has been remanded due to the need to obtain treatment records from an MRI performed shortly after discharge and to provide a VA examiner with appropriate medical qualifications to determine if the current condition is related to his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran was a fugitive felon during the period from November [redacted], 2008, to December [redacted], 2008 and terminated her VA disability compensation payments for this period.