Other conditions decisions — 2000

The Board has determined that the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death is not well-grounded and therefore denied.

The Board found no competent medical evidence linking the current skin disorder of the left foot to service, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The veteran's appeal for service connection for chronic pain syndrome has been dismissed as she withdrew her appeal prior to the Board making a decision.

The Board has determined that there is no current medical evidence showing scoliosis of the dorsal spine, and therefore service connection for this condition is denied.

The veteran's overpayment of improved disability pension benefits was denied due to willful misrepresentation of material facts.

The veteran's claim for a permanent and total disability rating for pension purposes was denied due to his failure without good cause to report for scheduled VA examinations.

The VA denied an increased evaluation for the veteran's service-connected right foot disability, currently rated at 10 percent. The examiner found no tenderness or pain on objective demonstration of the scars and noted slight abnormalities in sensation between the first and second toes.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for waiver of recovery of overpayment debts in vocational rehabilitation benefits, finding that it was contrary to equity and good conscience to recover the $196.89 debt but not the $362.91 debt.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current bilateral shoulder disability and therefore, service connection cannot be granted.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for his residuals of a left thumb fracture is being remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the extent of his disability and whether it has resulted in impairment beyond the thumb itself.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes. The RO has assigned separate 10 percent ratings for residuals of SFW right hand with retained foreign body and residuals of SFW left thigh, Muscle Group XIII.

The Board denied the appellant's request for waiver of recovery of overpayment in the amount of $5,872 due to fault on his part and lack of undue hardship.

The Board has determined that the veteran's financial hardship would be significantly impacted by recovering the overpayment, and thus grants the waiver of recovery.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for accrued benefits because there was no pending claim at the time of her mother's death, and thus legal merit does not exist.

The veteran's claims for increased rating and service connection were denied. The claim to reopen a psychiatric disorder other than PTSD was not well-grounded.

The veteran's claim for a higher evaluation for his service-connected status post spontaneous pneumothorax is being remanded due to the need for additional VA examination and treatment records.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for hypercholesterolemia, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability for which compensation could be paid.

The veteran's claim for pension benefits was denied because he did not have qualifying wartime service.

The Board denied the appellant's claim to reopen her service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that no new and material evidence had been submitted.

The Board has determined that the veteran's dysthymic disorder, which he claims was incurred during his service in the Gulf War, is well-grounded and should be granted service connection.