Other conditions Board decisions

The Veteran's post-herpes neuritis of the hip is rated at 10 percent, and service connection for degenerative disc disease with myofascial pain and chronic headaches is granted on a direct basis.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of any residual disability from the appendectomy in service, and thus denied the Veteran's claim for service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's eye and vision disorders did not have their onset during service, and there was no evidence of aggravation. The pre-existing conditions were attributed to a childhood injury.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and readjudication due to a lack of an addendum medical opinion. The claims are inextricably intertwined with each other.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's cardiovascular disability. The claim will be returned for further development and consideration.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for periodontal disease, finding that it is secondary to his service-connected diabetes.

The Board found that the Veteran's current diagnosed disorders involving his left wrist and hand are not related to his periods of service, including as residuals of inservice injuries.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn due to his satisfaction with the granted service connection and assigned ratings for patellar chondroplasty and torn left meniscus. The remaining claim of an increased rating for residuals of a fracture of the lower left leg is dismissed.

The Board finds that the Veteran's complications of a ventral hernia repair, to include a punctured bowel, are not due to carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment, or similar instance of fault on VA's part in furnishing medical treatment. The proximate cause of these complications was an event that was reasonably foreseeable.

The Board found that the Veteran's hepatic cysts, diagnosed as benign stable hepatic cysts, were not incurred in or aggravated by active service and could not be presumed to have been incurred due to his military service. The VA examiner opined that these liver cysts were unrelated to any service-connected disability.

The Veteran's current skin cancer is found to be related to the solar keratosis he had in service, and thus service connection for a skin disease (specifically squamous cell carcinoma) is granted.

The Veteran seeks disability compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for residuals of left partial maxillectomy, left orbital floor reconstruction, and medial canthal ligament repair surgery, hospitalization following such surgeries, and subsequent radiation therapy provided by VA. The Board has determined that further development is needed to determine the proximate cause of any additional disabilities found.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for residuals of recession of the rectus muscle of the right eye and recession of the oblique muscle of the left eye is denied. The Veteran's bilateral photophobia associated with these conditions is also denied a higher than 10 percent rating.

The Veteran's duodenal ulcer with hiatal hernia is currently rated at 10 percent, but the Board finds that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for clarification of the date(s) of the Veteran's gynecological treatment at the Durham VAMC and obtaining private treatment records pertaining to her hysterectomy. The claim will be reconsidered based on this additional information.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not substantially contribute to his employment impairment and he had the education and transferable skills necessary to maintain employment within his field of interest, aptitudes, and abilities. Therefore, he was not found to have an employment handicap.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including a VA examination and readjudication.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development of her records, including those from the Clark Medical Clinic at Fort BrNC. Her claim for an initial compensable rating for pelvic inflammatory disease remains on hold until further notice.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date before March 6, 2006, for the grant of nonservice-connected pension was denied as there is no evidence that he filed a claim for pension benefits prior to July 26, 2005. The RO granted the claim with an effective date of March 6, 2006.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a skin disorder. The appeal is granted.