Other conditions Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the case for further examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's skin condition, which he claims is related to his service in Vietnam. The examiner will need to determine if the current skin condition had onset during active service or is caused by exposure to Agent Orange.

The Veteran does not have a chronic left arm disability and the Board finds that this condition was not incurred or aggravated due to active duty service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining additional VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for a VA orthopedic examination to determine if his bilateral hip disorders are related to military service or his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left leg conditions, including drop foot and arthritis, are at least as likely as not related to his in-service fracture. As such, service connection for residuals of a left leg fracture is granted.

The Board found that the Veteran's cause of death, malignant mesothelioma, was not caused by a service-connected disability and denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for his left atrial enlargement with left anterior fascicular block and status post cerebrovascular accident (CVA) have been dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing his appeal.

The Board denied the appellant's claim of being recognized as the Veteran's surviving spouse for VA death benefits purposes due to a lack of legal marriage, common law marriage, or deemed valid marriage. The appellant and the Veteran were legally divorced in 2004, and there is no evidence that they held themselves out as husband and wife after their divorce.

The Board has determined that the appellant does not have qualifying service as a member of the Philippine Commonwealth Army, including in recognized guerrillas, to establish eligibility for benefits under the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund.

The Veteran's service is found to be insufficient to qualify for the one-time payment from the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund, and thus the claim is denied.

The Board has remanded the case for further action, including scheduling a video conference hearing at the RO before a Veterans Law Judge.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for malaria was denied in a July 2005 rating decision. The appellant's claim for accrued benefits, including entitlement to the cause of the Veteran's death and accrued benefits, was received after one year from his death and is therefore not timely filed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Wilson's disease was denied as there is no competent evidence to support the existence of this condition.

The Veteran's SLE was not present during active duty and is not presumed to have been incurred in service. The left knee disability has been rated as 10 percent disabling.

The Board found that the Veteran's urinary bladder disability existed prior to service and was not aggravated by service, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral toe deformity was a congenital defect and not incurred or aggravated by active service. As such, service connection for his toe disability is denied.

The Board has determined that the appellant can be recognized as the Veteran's surviving spouse for purposes of VA death benefits, based on her long-term relationship with the Veteran and her legal status in Columbia.

The Veteran's cause of death, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, was not service-connected and no other conditions were found to be related to military service or exposure.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a supplemental opinion from an examiner regarding the relationship of the Veteran's left eye disabilities to his service and any aggravation by his diabetes mellitus.

The Board found that the Veteran's abductor spasmodic dysphonia preexisted service and was not aggravated by active duty, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's attempt to reopen his claim for service connection for rheumatic valvulitis, inactive, with mitral insufficiency due to lack of new and material evidence.