Other conditions Board decisions

The Board has determined that the veteran's death was caused by his service-connected conditions, including those related to his status as a prisoner of war in Germany. As such, the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death is granted.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a dental disorder, finding that there was no evidence of bone loss in the maxilla or mandible due to inservice trauma. The veteran's claim is based on lost teeth and a bridge, but the decision states that VA took over a year to construct a partial plate after discharge.

The Board found that the veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 (West 2002) for diplopia in left lateral gaze was not filed until May 21, 1992, and thus denied an effective date prior to December 23, 1991.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings were granted, with a 40 percent evaluation assigned for the residuals of a gunshot wound to the right upper arm (Muscle Group VI). The other issues related to scars and nerve injuries have been resolved.

The veteran's skin disability, claimed as secondary to Agent Orange exposure, is being remanded for further examination and medical opinion.

The Board granted an initial rating of 20 percent for the veteran's service-connected residuals of fracture of the right hand, finding that his condition equated to favorable ankylosis of multiple fingers.

The Board found that the veteran did not have arthritis of the hands during service or within one year after discharge, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for aching joints and numbness of the hands as due to an undiagnosed illness, but denied these claims on the merits.

The veteran's right fifth metacarpal condition, which resulted in mild radial nerve sensory neuropathy, is now rated at 20 percent disabling.

The veteran's skin disorders, including actinic keratosis and basal cell carcinoma, are being remanded for further examination to determine if they are related to in-service sun exposure or herbicide exposure.

The Board has determined that the reduction in rating from 100% to 20% for eosinophilic granuloma is appropriate and supported by evidence of improvement. The current residual symptoms do not warrant a higher rating.

The veteran's prostate adenocarcinoma status post brachytherapy was reduced from a 100 percent rating to a 20 percent rating effective October 1, 2004. The RO also granted an increased rating for the residuals of prostate cancer and assigned a noncompensable disability evaluation for erectile dysfunction.

The Board denied an increased evaluation for service-connected left foot causalgia, finding that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 40 percent.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for an apportionment of the veteran's VA benefits, finding that it would create a hardship on the veteran and thus denying the appeal.

The Board found no residuals of cold injuries to the hands and denied the veteran's claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to an inadequate examination.

The veteran's left foot condition, manifested by healed fractures of the second and third metatarsals, is currently rated at 10 percent. The Board found that this rating adequately reflects his symptoms, including pain and functional impairment on repetitive motion.

The Board found that the cause of death, intracerebral hemorrhage, was not caused by or substantially contributed to by a service-connected disability. The heart condition (atriial fibrillation with pacemaker) is considered presumptively related to service-connected rheumatoid arthritis.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hernia has not recurred, and thus does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under VA disability evaluation criteria. As such, the claim for an initial compensable rating for service-connected residuals of a bilateral hernia repair is denied.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to verify the veteran's exposure to herbicides and to provide adequate notice regarding the claim. The case will be returned for further action.