Other conditions decisions — 2000

The Board denied service connection for macular degeneration and cataract of the left eye, and did not reopen the claim for chorioretinitis of the left eye due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a stroke is well-grounded, and thus VA must assist in obtaining additional medical records and conducting an examination to determine if his stroke was caused by heat stress or stress during reserve service.

The Board found no competent medical evidence linking the veteran's blindness to service, and thus denied her claim for service connection.

The veteran's unauthorized private medical care on October 20, 1998 was denied reimbursement or payment because it did not meet the eligibility requirements for such treatment.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for the cause of his death and also denied eligibility for Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance due to a lack of evidence linking his death to military service or exposure to Agent Orange.

The Board found that the claim of entitlement to service connection for an unspecified tropical disease is not well grounded due to a lack of competent medical evidence showing a current disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for squamous cell carcinoma and metastatic bone cancer due to Agent Orange exposure, as well as his claim for special monthly pension by reason of being in need of the regular aid and attendance of another person. The cause of death was not related to any service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that the appellant's service in the Coast Guard Auxiliary is not recognized as active duty for purposes of establishing entitlement to VA benefits, and thus denied the claim.

The Board denied the appellant's request for an effective date prior to May 18, 1998 for reinstatement of Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) benefits. The correct effective date was determined to be May 18, 1998.

The Board found that the veteran is entitled to service connection for residuals of right eye injury due to reasonable doubt in favor of his claim, given the equipoise evidence.

The veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a chronic left knee disability, including patellofemoral pain syndrome, is well-grounded. The Board found that the veteran had been diagnosed with left patellofemoral pain syndrome during active service and at his September 1997 naval medical board physical examination.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for TDIU due to a lack of specificity in his motion alleging CUE, and because he did not provide sufficient detail regarding why the result would have been different if there was clear and unmistakable error.

The Board denied the appellant's request for waiver of recovery of an overpayment of improved death pension benefits in the amount of $1,920 due to her fault in creating the debt and found that collection would not be against equity and good conscience.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his ventral hernia, currently evaluated at 40 percent.

The Board has determined that the appellant's marriage to the veteran is deemed valid for purposes of Section 1318 DIC benefits, as she and the veteran held themselves out as husband and wife for many years prior to his death.

The Board has reopened the claim for a duodenal ulcer on a non-radiation basis and finds it well grounded. The veteran's service connection claim is granted due to the presumption of exposure within one year after discharge. However, there is no evidence supporting the claim for residuals of ionizing radiation exposure or 'radiation sickness' and Crohn's disease.

The VA has granted a noncompensable evaluation for thrombophlebitis of the right leg from October 4, 1994. The RO increased the evaluation to 10 percent effective January 7, 1997.

The Board denied both the increased rating for organic delusional disorder with hallucinosis due to poly-drug abuse and the TDIU claim, as the appellant's service-connected disability is his only service-connected condition.

The Board denied increased evaluations for the veteran's right and left knee disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a greater rating under VA rating criteria.

The Board found no evidence of current disabilities related to the appellant's claimed conditions and denied her claims for service connection.