Other conditions Board decisions

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the Veteran's residuals of a left inguinal hernia repair is not related to service and therefore denied his claim.

The Board has determined that service connection is granted for residuals of burns to the left hand, but denied for residuals of burns to the right hand, fingers, and face/skull.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been presented to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for lipomas and their removal. As a result, the claim remains denied.

The appeal is being remanded for additional development to ensure proper notice and hearing procedures are followed.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his service-connected migraine headaches with depressive reaction was granted effective September 25, 2003. However, he requested a separate evaluation for his depression symptoms, which led to the grant of service connection for an adjustment disorder with depressed mood.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected PTSD contributed to his acute myocardial infarction, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a sleep disorder is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to his military service. The skin disorder, rated at 60 percent under Diagnostic Code 7806, does not meet the criteria for an increased rating due to lack of systemic manifestations or constant systemic therapy.

The Board denied reopening the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that new and material evidence was not received to support the claim. The appellant submitted additional evidence but it did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.

The Veteran's death was service-connected, and the appellant is seeking burial benefits in excess of $2,000. The maximum allowable benefit under law is $2,000.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his left hand disability was denied as the condition did not warrant a higher evaluation.

The Board has determined that the appellant is entitled to recognition as the Veteran's surviving spouse for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) purposes, based on her long-term relationship with the Veteran and their public representation of themselves as married.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for additional service department verification of the appellant's claimed service in the recognized guerrillas during World War II. The appellant seeks legal entitlement to a one-time payment from the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund.

The Board has remanded the case to ensure that the Appellant is provided with proper VCAA notice regarding her claim for VA death benefits and accrued benefits as a surviving spouse of the Veteran. The issue now involves determining if the Appellant and the Veteran were married for more than one year prior to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's bilateral hand disability, characterized by painful motion and X-ray evidence of arthritis, warrants a separate initial rating of 10 percent for each hand prior to January 22, 2008.

The Board denied service connection for both basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, finding insufficient evidence to link these conditions to service or exposure to ionizing radiation.

The Board found that the proximate cause of the Veteran's additional disability involving the left middle finger was not due to VA carelessness, negligence, or similar fault. The claim for benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 was denied.

The appellant's case is being remanded due to her inability to attend the scheduled video conference hearing. She now prefers a travel board hearing at the local RO.

The Board has ordered the VA to contact the Navy Board for Correction of Naval Records regarding the appellant's application for correction of his military record. The case will be remanded for further development and readjudication.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for postoperative recurrent pilonidal cyst to include scar residuals was denied due to lack of new and material evidence. The Board found that the Veteran's neck injury is etiologically related to his active military service.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 and termination of VA death pension benefits, finding that she did not meet the criteria for such benefits.