Other conditions Board decisions

The Board denied service connection for PVD of the upper and lower extremities, as well as CAD and bilateral hearing loss. The examiner found no direct link to service or any other condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for pituitary adenoma, finding that it was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and is not due to an undiagnosed illness.

The RO reduced the ratings for service-connected right hip dislocation and right superior and inferior pubic rami fracture from 30% to 10%, but this reduction was improper due to lack of improvement in the veteran's condition.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death in January 2003. The RO granted service connection for the cause of the veteran's death effective February 24, 2003, based on new evidence submitted by the appellant. The Board found no basis to assign an earlier effective date.

The veteran's countable annual income for VA pension purposes exceeded the established maximum rate of pension payable for a veteran entitled to nonservice-connected improved pension benefits as of January 1, 2004. As such, his nonservice-connected disability pension benefits were terminated.

The Board finds that the preponderance of the evidence is against the veteran's claim of service connection for residuals of right axillary thrombectomy, claimed as a right arm injury. The lack of any evidence of continuing right arm injury for 36 years between the period of active service and the evidence showing diagnosis of a right arm injury is itself evidence which tends to show that no right arm injury was incurred as a result of service.

The Board has decided the claim of service connection for cause of death on its merits, but it is now remanded to determine if the appellant is a proper claimant under VA regulations.

The Board found no evidence of a nexus between the veteran's mycosis fungoides and his military service, including alleged herbicide exposure. The claim was denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, SSA disability benefits documentation, and a VA examination.

The Board denied the reopening of a claim for service connection for lupus, finding that no new and material evidence had been submitted to establish an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been presented to reopen the forfeiture of Department of Veterans Affairs benefits, as all submitted evidence is considered irrelevant to the issue.

The veteran's paralysis of the right upper and lower extremities is not considered to be due to VA carelessness, negligence, or fault in performing a left carotid arterectomy. The risk of stroke associated with this procedure was disclosed on the consent form.

The veteran does not have familial hypopigmentation, squamous cell carcinoma, or actinic keratosis that is related to his military service. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence is against these claims.

The Board found that the veteran did not have any chronic injuries or disabilities of the hands, feet, or joints due to exposure to cold conditions during his military service. The claims for service connection were denied as there was no evidence supporting a link between current symptoms and service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is currently in remission and does not warrant an increased evaluation. The scar, status post splenectomy, also does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for myeloproliferative disorder, finding that no claim was filed prior to February 24, 2005.

The Board has granted the veteran's claim for payment of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at LDS Hospital from August 18 to August 20, 2002 due to an emergency myocardial infarction.

The Board denied the appellant's request for an earlier effective date for death pension benefits with aid and attendance, finding that she abandoned her original claim in February 2004 and did not submit a new claim prior to December 12, 2005.

The veteran's appeal is denied as she did not meet the criteria for reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at a non-VA facility due to an emergency condition.

The veteran's service-connected residuals of a left inguinal hernia, including atrophied left testicle with infrequent left epididymis swelling, are rated as 10 percent disabling effective August 10, 2005.