Epilepsy & seizure disorders decisions — 2000

The veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a head injury, to include a seizure disorder and dementia is well-grounded. The Board finds that the veteran has presented evidence sufficient to meet the requirements of establishing a well-grounded claim.

The veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for undiagnosed partial complex type seizures is denied as he has not experienced any major or minor seizures since at least September 1995.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for a seizure disorder due to new and material evidence submitted since the October 1994 decision. The Board also found that the claim is well grounded, as there is reasonable medical opinion linking the veteran's current seizure disorder to head trauma sustained during service.

The veteran's appeal is about his current and past evaluations for seizures due to head trauma. The RO needs to schedule a Travel Board hearing before the RO, review the claim, and then determine if the requested ratings are appropriate.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection, but it is unclear if the current conditions are related to his in-service head injury.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Seizure Disorder, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability or relationship to service.

The veteran's seizure disorder is due to disease or injury that was incurred in service. The Board finds the veteran's claim of service connection for a psychiatric disorder plausible and capable of substantiation, but cannot determine if his pre-existing condition worsened during service.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic seizure disorder during service or for many years following service, and the veteran's lay statements were not supported by objective medical evidence. The claim was denied as not well grounded.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected left parietal atriovenous malformation with secondary seizure disorder and headaches do not meet the criteria for a disability evaluation in excess of 40 percent or a compensable evaluation, respectively.

The Board has determined that the veteran's seizure disorder is not related to his service-connected head injury, and therefore denied service connection for a seizure disorder. The compensable rating for residuals of a laceration to the left occipital area was also denied as there is no evidence indicating the scar is disfiguring or severely disabling.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and an effective date prior to September 29, 1959. The appeals were all dismissed as not well grounded.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his service-connected complex partial seizure disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional medical and employment information.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected disabilities preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment, warranting a total rating for compensation purposes.

The veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent disabling, which grants him a higher evaluation than the previous 50 percent rating. The effective date remains to be determined as it was not specified in the decision.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD, finding that there was no clear diagnosis of PTSD due to a verified stressor in service.

The Board found that there was no competent evidence linking the veteran's current depression to his service-connected migraine with history of idiopathic seizures. The issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability is remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for loss of visual acuity, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and seizure disorder are not well-grounded.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development due to a request for a personal hearing at the RO.

The Board found no current diagnosis of schizophrenia and denied the claim for service connection. For seizure disorder, while there is a history of seizures during service, the evidence does not establish a nexus between the current condition and military service.

The Board denied service connection for a seizure disorder and a heart condition, including mitral valve disease. The veteran's claim was not well-grounded as there is no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his active naval service.