Epilepsy & seizure disorders decisions — 2009

The Board found that the Veteran's benign left parietal meningioma was not caused by military service or radiation exposure, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to inadequate VCAA notice.

The Board has granted service connection for a low back disability. The Veteran's other claims of entitlement to service connection for various disabilities are addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The Veteran's claims for various conditions, including hypothyroidism, ulcerative colitis, sleep apnea, folliculitis, a seizure disorder, and a chronic eye disorder, were denied as they are not shown to be related to service or herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including skin disorders and a seizure disorder, were denied as the evidence did not show that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by active service.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 due to syncopal episodes (claimed as seizures) resulting from surgeries at the VA Long Beach Healthcare System is being remanded for additional development.

The Veteran's service-connected grand mal seizure disorder renders him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for seizures, ministrokes, loss of memory, shortness of breath, numbness and tingling of the left side of face, shoulder and arm. The claim for a high pulse rate was withdrawn by the appellant.

The Veteran's service-connected epilepsy did not cause his death, but the multiple strokes and pneumonia that led to his death were not related to any condition incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a seizure disorder, an increased evaluation for his right elbow disability, and a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities. The Board found that there was no credible evidence linking the current seizure disorder to active service.

The Board denied service connection for a brain abscess and an eye disorder, finding that the Veteran's conditions were not incurred in or aggravated by active duty.

The Board found no credible evidence to support the appellant's claim that the Veteran served in Vietnam and thus, there was no basis for presumptive service connection based on herbicide exposure. The cause of death was determined to be metastic lung cancer, but it is not shown by the competent evidence of record to have been etiologically related to a disease, injury, or event in service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including scheduling a videoconference hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.

The Board has not granted service connection for seizures and blackouts or residuals of postoperative gastric ulcer, as new and material evidence was not received to reopen the claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for seizure disorder, psychiatric disability other than PTSD, and PTSD. The evidence did not establish a nexus between these conditions and active service.

The Board has reopened the claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 due to new evidence, but finds that the Veteran does not meet the criteria for benefits as his additional disability is not attributable to VA negligence or fault.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination or medical opinion on his claim of service connection for alcohol dependency secondary to posttraumatic stress disorder.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining medical records from 1992 to 2005.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a seizure disorder is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine if his current condition may be related to his military service, including as a result from immunization shots/medication or from a fall he suffered during service where he hit his head.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there was no evidence linking any of his conditions to his military service.