Other conditions Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional development and examination, including an addendum medical opinion regarding his lumbar spine disability from January 3, 2006. The TDIU claim must also be remanded as it requires a new VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is considered to have been a fugitive felon from December 27, 2001 to May 18, 2009 for VA compensation and pension purposes.

The Veteran's PVD has been aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and the Board finds that it is at least as likely as not that this aggravation occurred.

The Veteran's cause of death was attributed to paraneoplastic syndrome and poorly differentiated carcinoma, metastatic to the nodes and biliary system. The Board found that these conditions were not related to his service or exposure to ionizing radiation.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current gastrointestinal disorder is not related to her active service and thus, denies her claim for service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's cardiovascular disease was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and denied his claim.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed in this case, including obtaining the Veteran's complete VA treatment records from Loma Linda VAMC and verifying his service dates. The claim for left eye retinal detachment will be remanded to obtain an addendum opinion from the examiner who conducted the April 2011 examination.

The Veteran's atrial fibrillation was first manifested to a compensable degree within one year of discharge from service and is presumed to have been incurred in service due to lead exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected toxoplasmosis chorioretinitis, left eye, finding that a 30 percent rating was the maximum schedular provided and no extraschedular rating is warranted.

The Board has determined that proper VCAA notice was not provided and the case is being remanded for further action.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for squamous cell carcinoma of the right tonsil, finding that it was not incurred in active military service and could not be presumed to have been incurred due to exposure to ionizing radiation during active service.

The Board found that neither carcinomatosis of the abdomen nor cancer of the stomach had their onset during service, were not shown to be otherwise related to the Veteran's service or his service-connected disorders, and therefore did not cause or significantly contribute to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for residuals of a deviated septum and rhinoplasty. The Board has determined that the current record is not sufficient to determine whether the Veteran's deviated septum clearly and unmistakably existed prior to service or was aggravated during service, so the case is being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and a clarification of the SSA benefits determination. The issues of service connection for schizophrenia, depression with psychotic features, and compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. � 1151 are also inextricably intertwined and will be deferred until further development.

The service department certified that the appellant had no service as a member of the Philippine Commonwealth Army, including recognized guerrillas, in the service of the United States Armed Forces. Therefore, he is not eligible for VA benefits.

The Veteran's appeal for a total rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) has been fully granted by the RO in January 2010, effective October 17, 2007. As such, there is no longer an issue in controversy.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for an adjustment disorder, finding that there is a nexus between his in-service combat experience and his current diagnosis of adjustment disorder.

The Veteran's service-connected degenerative arthropathy of the right second metatarsal phalangeal joint is currently rated at 20 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available. The Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted as his disability does not meet or approximate the criteria for a 30 percent evaluation under DC 5283.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for a one-time payment from the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund due to lack of qualifying service, as determined by the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC). The appellant did not have the requisite service in the Commonwealth Army of the Philippines, including recognized guerrillas, in the service of the United States Armed Forces.

The Board has determined that the appellant's claim for accrued benefits is denied as there is no evidence that VA is currently holding funds in trust for her.