Other conditions Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for further development due to inadequate examination and other procedural issues.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of a head injury and degenerative joint disease of the spine, finding that these conditions are related to the Veteran's period of active service.

The Board has determined that there is a preponderance of evidence in favor of the Veteran's claim for service connection for a spine disability, as it was aggravated by his service-connected double vision.

The Board finds that the Veteran's residuals from his January 2003 VA surgery were not caused by any fault on the part of VA, and thus does not meet the criteria for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling a hearing before the Board at the RO in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the issues of service connection for a bilateral eye disorder, lung disorder, and liver transplant.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection of right leg pain, and the Board has dismissed this matter.

The Board has granted service connection for left hip degenerative joint disease, finding that the current disability is related to military service.

The Veteran's grandson, S.M.D., does not qualify as a dependent child for VA compensation purposes due to lack of adoption. As such, the claim is denied.

The Veteran's claim for payment of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Rome Memorial Hospital on March 1-3, 2008 was denied as the criteria for reimbursement under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1728 were not met due to a failure to provide requested medical records within 30 days.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected gunshot wounds of the right foot and leg, finding that the combined disability rating for these conditions cannot exceed 40 percent due to the amputation rule.

The Veteran's bilateral eyes, including vision loss, did not result from VA carelessness or negligence. The Board finds that compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 is not warranted.

The Veteran's lung disability, specifically left pneumothorax with operative wedge resection, is currently rated at 10 percent. The Board has ordered a remand to determine the current severity of his service-connected lung disability and whether new evidence supports reopening a claim for COPD.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred from February 10, 2006 to February 14, 2006 at MedCenter One Health System were not authorized by VA and he did not receive care or services under the authority of 38 U.S.C. Chapter 17 within the 24-month period preceding the furnishing of the emergency treatment.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a right leg fracture as there is no current diagnosis and no evidence of such injury during or after his period of active duty.

The case is being remanded to clarify the relationship between the appellant and the deceased veteran, as well as determine if the deceased's service in the Philippine Commonwealth Army qualifies for VA benefits. The appeal will be reviewed again after these issues are resolved.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current skin condition, diagnosed as dermatitis, did not begin during or was otherwise caused by his military service and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claim for a skin disorder, characterized as episodic sebaceous cysts, is granted based on continuity of symptoms after service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining records of the Veteran's active duty for training and inactive duty for training periods. The claim will be reconsidered after these developments.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a skin disorder, respiratory disorder, or liver disorder that is related to his military service, including exposure to herbicides. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service incurrence or aggravation of an injury or disease to his skin.