Other conditions Board decisions

The Board has determined that the grant of service connection for residuals of exotropia at distance and near, status post bilateral lateral rectus resection was not clearly and unmistakably erroneous. The evidence is divided on whether the Veteran's exotropia is congenital or acquired.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have Crohn's disease as a result of his active duty service and denied the claim.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration, including scheduling a videoconference hearing before another Veterans Law Judge.

The Board found that the reduction in rating from 30% to 10% for left upper quadrant abdominal pain with small tender mass was proper, effective September 1, 2007.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for eye disability, specifically vision loss, is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability that is related to his active duty service.

The Board has remanded the case to consider whether the Veteran's current back, neck, and head injuries may have been aggravated during his period of active service. The case will be reviewed again after further development.

The Veteran's right shoulder disability is rated at 50 percent, which corresponds to unfavorable ankylosis with abduction limited to 25 degrees from the side.

The Veteran's left ventricular hypertrophy was initially evaluated as noncompensable prior to January 7, 2005. After this date, he received a 30% evaluation based on evidence of cardiac hypertrophy on echocardiogram. The Board found that his symptoms did not meet the criteria for higher ratings at any time.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for colon cancer is denied as there is no evidence of herbicide exposure and the disease was not shown in service or within one year thereafter. The Board also finds that the medical evidence does not support a link between the Veteran's current condition and his military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral hip disability, finding that it is not caused by or aggravated by his service-connected left knee, left ankle, and low back disabilities.

The Veteran does not have arthritis of the hands, fingers, elbows, knees, hips, ankles, or the lumbosacral spine that was caused by his service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right lung disorder, including the residual of pneumonia, is denied as there is no current evidence of such a disability related to his in-service episode of pneumonia.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's benign prostatic hypertrophy, claimed as an enlarged prostate, was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation in excess of 20 percent prior to October 18, 2007 and in excess of 30 percent beginning on that date was denied. The disability is rated at 30 percent since October 18, 2007.

The Board has granted a 30 percent rating for irritable colon effective September 15, 2008. The Veteran's claim of entitlement to an increased rating for prostatitis and other service connection claims are also pending.

The Veteran's service connection claim for chronic lymphocytic leukemia was denied as there is no evidence of herbicide exposure and the disease did not manifest within one year from separation.

The Board found no evidence of a right hand disability in service or within one year after discharge, and concluded that the Veteran's current arthritis is not related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of colon cancer, claimed as due to asbestos exposure, was denied because there is no evidence that his current condition is related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's loss of teeth #24 and #25, along with bone loss in his mandible, is not service-connected for compensation purposes due to it being a result of natural resorption following tooth extractions unrelated to the trauma during service.

The Board denied the appellant's claim of MGIB benefits for training at Southern California University for Professional Studies as the educational program was not approved by VA for MGIB benefits.