Other conditions Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for scheduling a Travel Board hearing at the appellant's local RO.

The veteran seeks compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for amputation of his left foot, but the case is being remanded due to incomplete records and further development is needed.

The Board has determined that the veteran's skin disorder was not incurred or aggravated by service, nor is it presumed to be related to herbicide exposure. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding in favor of service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's claim for an effective date prior to May 3, 2003, for a TDIU was denied as there is no evidence of unemployability due to service-connected disability prior to that date.

The Board found that the veteran's metastatic carcinoma of the liver and intra-abdominal area was caused by VA medical care, specifically a delay in diagnosis due to VA's fault. The decision grants compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The veteran's claims for higher ratings for his service-connected duodenal ulcer and postoperative recurrent pilondial cyst are being remanded to the RO for additional development, including obtaining outstanding VA medical records and providing the veteran with another opportunity to submit evidence.

The Board has denied the appellant's claim for an apportionment of the veteran's VA compensation benefits due to the veteran providing a reasonable discharge of his responsibility for the children's support and because an apportionment would create undue hardship on him.

The Board found that the veteran's conversion reaction disability warranted a 30 percent evaluation, which is the maximum available for this condition.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for helpless child benefits on behalf of his son 'P.' due to new evidence, but denied the claim as P. was not shown to be permanently incapable of self-support by reason of a mental or physical condition prior to attaining the age of 18.

The veteran's service-connected foot disabilities are currently rated at the maximum allowed under VA regulations, and his TDIU claim is denied as he can perform sedentary employment.

The Board found that the veteran's private dental treatments were not reimbursable due to lack of prior authorization and because VA medical facilities were feasible available.

The veteran is seeking payment for unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital from March 4, 2004 to March 5, 2004. The RO denied the claim because VA facilities were feasibly available to provide care after the emergency had ended. However, additional development is needed to determine if a VA facility was feasible and available for the veteran's treatment on those dates.

The veteran's appeal for an increased evaluation of dysthymic disorder was dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The VA determined that the veteran's gout and hyperuricemia do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating, as there is no evidence of limitation of motion or exacerbations.

The Board found that the veteran's bilateral corneal maculae did not develop as a result of his period of active service and denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's loss of balance (ataxia) was not caused or aggravated by VA care, treatment, or examination. The Board found no evidence to suggest a causal relationship between the July 1994 surgery and his current symptoms.

The veteran seeks an increased disability rating for his service-connected heart condition, but the case is remanded due to a lack of recent medical records and need for further examination.

The veteran's lung cancer was found to be permanent and total on May 15, 2001, the effective date of service connection. The appellant is eligible for CHAMPVA benefits as she met the age requirement prior to June 5, 2001, and had Medicare Part A but not B.

The Board found that the veteran's numbness in his lower extremities is due to a known clinical diagnosis of diabetic peripheral neuropathy, which was first diagnosed many years after service and has not been medically linked to either period of service.

The Board has granted a disability rating of 30 percent for the veteran's respiratory disability effective from June 26, 2006. The right and left foot peripheral neuropathies are rated at 20 percent prior to July 26, 2006, and thereafter in excess of 20 percent.