Other conditions decisions — 2005

The veteran's claim for reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at a private hospital in November 2002 was denied because VA facilities were available and feasible, and the veteran left without seeking treatment.

The Board has determined that the cause of the veteran's death, bleeding peptic ulcer, was not caused by or a result of his military service and therefore denied the claim for service connection.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for service-connected prostatitis and urethritis, as well as epidermatophytosis of the hands and feet, are being remanded to allow for additional examinations and consideration.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including calculating the distance from the veteran's home to both the VA facility and the private medical facility. The issue is whether a VA facility was feasibly available at the time of the emergency care.

The Board has remanded the case for a videoconference hearing and further development.

The Board has granted a 10 percent rating for the veteran's contraction deformity of the right little finger with traumatic degenerative changes, finding that this condition meets the criteria for such a rating.

The veteran's claim for reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses is denied as he did not receive VA treatment within the 24-month period prior to his emergency care, and thus does not meet eligibility criteria.

The veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeal.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his residuals of a subtotal gastrectomy, currently rated at 40 percent disabling. The VA found that the current disability rating adequately reflects the severity of the disorder.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 50 percent for his post traumatic stress disorder, finding that the evidence did not warrant such an increase.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the veteran's current back injury is related to service. The veteran needs a VA examination to determine if he has a back disorder and whether it is at least as likely as not that any such disorder is related to an injury in service.

The Board has granted an effective date of April 1, 1993 for additional improved disability pension benefits based on reestablishing a dependent spouse. The veteran and his spouse reunited in March [redacted], 1993, which is the earliest date that meets the criteria for establishing entitlement to these benefits.

The veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination. The issues include seeking a rating in excess of 10 percent for bursitis of the left hip.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for an initial compensable disability rating for his service-connected residuals of postoperative bilateral inguinal hernia repair, finding that the current manifestations do not warrant a higher evaluation.

The veteran's death was caused by multiple myeloma. The case is remanded to determine if the veteran served in Vietnam, which could affect service connection for his cause of death.