Other conditions decisions — 2000

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that squamous cell carcinoma of the lung was not related to service or exposure to Agent Orange.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current bilateral sensorineural hearing loss is as likely as not due to noise exposure during his military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left and right hand injuries due to failure to report for scheduled VA examinations without good cause.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his service-connected left inguinal hernia, finding no factual basis to warrant a compensable rating.

The veteran's claim for service connection for ulcerative colitis, status post total colectomy and ileostomy is being remanded due to the need to obtain missing service medical records.

The veteran's claim for a higher evaluation for his post-gastrectomy syndrome was granted, and he is now rated at 40 percent effective November 5, 1992.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected right hand post-surgical residuals was denied by the Board of Veterans' Appeals. The current evaluation of 10 percent is upheld as there is no evidence of unfavorable ankylosis, fixation in any degree of palmar flexion, or with radial or ulnar deviation.

The Board denied an initial compensable evaluation for malaria, finding no active disease process or residual impairment.

The veteran requested a hearing for his appeal of the termination of Section 306 pension benefits. The RO scheduled him for a Travel Board hearing on July 25, 2000, but he did not appear due to vacation. The case is being remanded because the RO failed to act on his request for a new hearing date.

The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the veteran's death due to coccidioidomycosis meningitis, finding that it is more likely than not that the veteran contracted the disease during his ACDUTRA duty.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral foot condition is not well-grounded, and thus denied.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for secondary service connection for residuals of a left hip fracture, finding that there is no evidence to support his allegation that his service-connected left leg disability caused him to fall and fracture his left hip.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities are of such severity as to preclude him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment, and the Board grants a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board finds that the veteran's polymyositis had its onset during service and grants service connection for this condition.

The veteran's appeal for a special monthly pension was dismissed as no adequate substantive appeal was filed.

The Board denied the veteran's requests for service connection and DIC benefits, as well as his spouse's application for improved death pension benefits. The decision was based on a finding that the veteran did not have any service-connected disabilities at the time of his death.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for the cause of his death and also denied his claim for dependency and indemnity compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 due to a lack of well-grounded evidence.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a chronic respiratory disorder as residual to tobacco use during active duty, finding that it was legally insufficient due to pre-existing statutory law. The issue of whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen a claim for bilateral defective hearing is addressed on remand.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for scars from a right inguinal hernia and appendectomy, as well as his claim for a 10 percent evaluation based on multiple noncompensable service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that the veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of streptococcal sore throat is not well-grounded due to a lack of evidence linking his current disability or disabilities to either streptococcus or rheumatic fever.