Other conditions Board decisions

The VA has granted a 10 percent rating for the veteran's residuals of a pelvic fracture with left groin pain since August 24, 2005.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current disability of herpes zoster and therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected PTSD did not contribute substantially or materially to his death due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, which was not related to his active service. The appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of death is denied.

The VA denied the veteran's claims for a compensable evaluation for concussion hysteria and service connection for a right leg disability, finding that there was no evidence of an injury or chronic condition in service.

The Board finds that a compensable rating is not warranted for the service-connected residuals of a fracture of the first metacarpal on the veteran's left hand due to lack of ankylosis and no additional loss of motion.

The VA granted service connection for poikiloderma of civatte of the neck and assigned a 10 percent evaluation, effective May 1, 2005. The veteran's claim for an increased rating for degenerative joint disease of the thoracolumbar spine with disc bulge was also granted, but he is still seeking higher evaluations.

The Board has determined that the veteran's squamous cell carcinoma, which is currently diagnosed and linked to his presumed exposure to herbicides during service in Vietnam, meets the criteria for service connection. As such, the claim is granted.

The veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection for neurogenic bladder and fecal incontinence have been granted, with the effective dates set at March 14, 1997, and March 26, 1998 respectively.

The Board found that the veteran's scoliosis pre-existed service and did not increase in severity during active duty, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The veteran seeks service connection for heart disorder, including a heart murmur and related conditions. The RO denied the claim based on the finding that a heart murmur is not a disability for VA purposes. The case is remanded to determine if any current diagnosed heart disorder was incurred or aggravated by active military service.

The veteran's service-connected residuals of a medial meniscus injury to the left knee with arthritis were granted a disability evaluation of 40 percent from September 28, 2006. The limitation of flexion was separately awarded a 10 percent evaluation.

The veteran received emergency medical treatment at Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital on October 12-13, 2006 for a fever. The Board found that the closest VA facilities were not reasonably available and granted payment or reimbursement of unauthorized emergency medical expenses.

The Board found that the veteran did not incur any residuals of a colonoscopy injury as a result of carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment or similar instance of fault on the part of VA treatment providers who performed a colonoscopy in November 2002. Therefore, compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 is denied.

The veteran's death was not caused by VA medical treatment.,VA did not commit clear and unmistakable error in a prior decision that would have resulted in the veteran being continuously rated totally disabled for a period of 10 or more years immediately preceding his death.,No additional evidence, consisting solely of service department records that existed at the time of a prior VA decision but were not previously considered by VA, has been submitted to support reopening a claim finally decided during the veteran's lifetime.,Prior to September 28, 1998, visual acuity of the veteran's left eye was greater than 5/200. Therefore, entitlement to SMC based on anatomical loss of one eye prior to that date is denied.

The Board found that the veteran's colon cancer was not caused by VA's carelessness, negligence, or error in judgment. Therefore, his claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. ¶ 1151 is denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of July 15, 2003, for service connection of left elbow strain with decreased grip strength of the left hand.

The Board has remanded the case due to a failure to comply with VA procedures for determining herbicide exposure in Germany. The veteran's claim will be reconsidered based on new evidence and information.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as a personality disorder, is not a disease or injury for which VA disability compensation can be granted. Therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed in-service stressors have not been verified, and therefore service connection for PTSD cannot be established.

The veteran's GSW of the right chest with retained foreign body does not meet the criteria for an evaluation in excess of 20 percent disabling.