Epilepsy & seizure disorders decisions — 2008

The Board has determined that the veteran's seizures and personality disorder are not proximately due to or the result of his service-connected PTSD. The claims for these conditions have been denied.

The Board denied service connection for a brain tumor, focal seizures, and peripheral neuropathy of the left hand as these conditions were not directly incurred in service or due to Agent Orange exposure.

The Board granted service connection for myoclonus epilepsy, resolving the benefit of the doubt in favor of the veteran.

The veteran's appeal for service connection for a seizure disorder was remanded to the RO for scheduling of a Travel Board hearing.

The Board finds that the evidence supports service connection for a seizure disorder, as it began during active service and is causally related to the veteran's military service.

The Board remands the case for further development, including a medical examination to determine the nature and etiology of the veteran's claimed conditions.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, a seizure disorder with essential tremors, hypothyroidism, thrombocytopenia/leucopenia and vitiligo as there is no evidence of any in-service event, illness or injury related to the claimed disabilities, nor continuity of symptomatology shown by the evidence of record.

The veteran's claims for service connection for headaches and seizures, to include as a result of an undiagnosed illness, were remanded for additional development.

The veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions are being remanded for additional development.

The veteran's appeal for service connection for pulmonary tuberculosis secondary to herbicide exposure and an initial compensable rating for hearing loss was withdrawn. The claim for service connection for a seizure disorder was reopened.

The Board remands the veteran's claims for service connection for multiple disabilities, including a back disability with arthritis, neck disability with arthritis, bilateral foot disability with arthritis, chronic herpetic neuritis/ganglionitis (claimed as a bilateral leg condition and arthritis), residuals of a head injury, cortically based visual field loss and cataracts, to include as secondary to an in-service head injury, and seizures, to include as secondary to an in-service head injury, for further development.

The veteran's claim for a disability rating higher than 40 percent for his seizure disorder was denied as the evidence did not support a finding of more frequent major or minor seizures.

The veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, headaches, seizures, and hypertension are being remanded to the RO/AMC for further development.

The Board denied service connection for left knee disability and an increased rating for epilepsy, as the evidence did not support a finding of chronicity or a causal relationship between the veteran's current disabilities and his period of active duty service.

The Board remands the matter for a neurological examiner to provide an opinion on whether there is a nexus between the in-service incident and the veteran's current disorder.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for temporomandibular joint syndrome and a seizure disorder, finding no evidence of onset during or as a result of active service.

The appeal for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II was withdrawn. The claim for a low back disorder was reopened and denied, while the claim for a seizure disorder was also denied.

The veteran's chronic demyelination/small vessel disease was granted as secondary to her service-connected migraine headaches, while claims for a chronic acquired heart disorder, chronic tinnitus, and chronic seizure disorder were denied.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine was denied, but his claims to reopen service connection for a seizure disorder and left knee degenerative joint disease were successful.

The veteran's claims for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center and with Dr. C. R. J., M.D. were denied as the criteria under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1725, 1728, and 38 C.F.R. § 17.120 were not met.