Other conditions Board decisions

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for loss of sense of smell, finding that there is no evidence to support his contention that he incurred this condition during active duty.

The Board has determined that the cause of the veteran's death was not service-connected and that DIC benefits pursuant to 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 are also denied.

The veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hallux valgus with bunions is denied. The veteran is granted an initial 10 percent rating for bilateral degenerative changes of the metatarsophalangeal joints, and his claim for a 10 percent rating based on multiple noncompensable service-connected disabilities as provided by 38 C.F.R. § 3.324 is dismissed.

The Board denied service connection for cancer of the pancreas and liver tumors, as well as a skin disability, both claimed to be due to exposure to Agent Orange. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to service or Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to address the cause of the veteran's death and its relationship to his service-connected psoriatic arthritis.

The veteran's emergency medical services for lacerations near his right eye on April 7, 2004 were not considered an emergency requiring payment by VA because the injuries did not place him in serious jeopardy or cause significant bodily harm. The claim was denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's back and side disability was not incurred or aggravated by service, as there is no evidence of a current disability related to his in-service injury. The Board found that the veteran's obesity, rather than his service injury, was the main contributing factor for his chronic back pain.

The Board found that the veteran's non-service-connected pension benefits were retroactively reduced due to his receipt of Social Security Administration (SSA) benefits, resulting in an overpayment. The Board determined this was a valid debt and denied the appeal.

The Board denied reopening the claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder in February 1999. The veteran submitted new evidence, but it was not considered material to reopen the claim.

The Board found that the veteran does not currently have a chronic skin disorder and denied his claim for service connection. The issue of numbness of the feet was also addressed, but no decision was made as it is unclear if this appeal is about service connection at all.

The Board denied service connection for multiple myeloma, Hodgkin's disease, and basal cell carcinoma due to Agent Orange exposure. The veteran did not serve in Vietnam or one of the specified units in Korea exposed to herbicides during the appropriate time frame.

The veteran's service-connected panic disorder with agoraphobia, characterized by daily short-lived panic attacks in public settings and occasional feelings of anger or depression, results in mild to moderate occupational and social impairment. The disability does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for further development and consideration, including obtaining additional VA medical records and ensuring compliance with VCAA requirements.

The Board has determined that there is no current clinical diagnosis of a hip disorder, and thus the veteran's claim for service connection for a hip disorder cannot be granted.

The veteran's claim for service connection for gum disease was denied, and his initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss during the period between October 1, 2003, and February 16, 2005, was also denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a higher rating for HSP and service connection for arthritis, finding that there was no evidence to support an increased rating or service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's PUD did not meet the criteria for a higher disability rating from January 26, 1999 to April 5, 1999, from June 1, 1999 to March 27, 2000, and from July 1, 2000 to November 18, 2003.

The Board has determined that the grant of service connection for right eye retinal vasculopathy was clearly and unmistakably erroneous, leading to its appropriate severance.

The Board has reopened the veteran's service connection claim for squamous cell skin cancers due to radiation exposure and granted the claim on the merits, finding that new evidence supports a causal link between his in-service exposure and his current condition.

The Board finds that the retroactive termination of benefits was proper due to concurrent receipt of Chapter 35 educational benefits and a dependency allowance for the veteran's child.