Other conditions decisions — 2000

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a skull fracture, finding no competent medical evidence linking her current condition to her period of active military service.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for an increased evaluation and a total rating for compensation based upon individual unemployability due to his service-connected injury, left foot, residuals of shell fragment wound. The maximum schedular evaluation available was granted in November 1996 (40 percent), which is currently in effect.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a dental disability due to trauma, finding that there is no competent evidence linking any current dental disability to a Novocain injection during service.

The Board has denied the veteran's request for a waiver of recovery of $16,156.33 in loan guaranty indebtedness due to his significant fault and unjust enrichment.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at AMC from January 16 to April 9, 1996, as VA facilities were feasibly available and an attempt to use them beforehand would not have been reasonable.

The Board has determined that the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death is not well grounded, as there is no medical evidence suggesting a link between any service-connected disability and the cause of death.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the veteran's bilateral chondromalacia patella disability was incurred as a result of service and granted service connection for this condition.

The veteran's hiatal hernia with peptic ulcer disease and Barrett's esophagitis is currently rated at 30 percent, while the post-ventral hernia repair received a noncompensable rating prior to January 28, 1998, and a 20 percent rating from that date onwards.

The Board has granted service connection for the residuals of a laceration to the left ring finger, but denied secondary service connection for contracture of the left palm and not well grounded service connection for an ulcer disease.

The Board found that the veteran's arthritis of the back is not related to his service-connected bilateral calcaneal spurs and thus denied his claim.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the veteran's post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is service-connected, and thus grants his claim for PTSD.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current urethral strictures and hydronephrosis are not caused or aggravated by treatment for lymphoma in service, as no chemotherapy was received.

The Board denied an increased evaluation for the veteran's duodenal ulcer, finding that his symptoms do not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable VA rating schedule.

The Board found no evidence of a well-grounded claim for service connection due to the lack of in-service hearing loss or sensorineural hearing loss within one year after discharge, and concluded that there is no link between current hearing impairment and prior service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's impotence is proximately due to or the result of his service-connected diabetes and arteriosclerosis, granting service connection for this condition.

The veteran's former spouse has appealed the amount of the apportionment, and this claim must be held in abeyance until a decision on her appeal is made. The veteran's request for a Travel Board hearing at the RO was not addressed.

The VA determined that the veteran's service-connected residuals of a tonsillectomy do not meet the criteria for an increased rating, as there is no objective clinical evidence of residual ear or throat disability from the operation. The veteran's complaints and symptoms are associated with other nonservice-connected respiratory problems.

The Board has found the claim to be well grounded and remanded for further development, including a VA examination. The veteran's peptic ulcer disease is claimed as secondary to his service-connected right shoulder disability.

The veteran's arthritis of the left foot, residuals of a fracture of the left cuboid and middle cuneiform bones, is currently rated at 10 percent.,The veteran's residuals of a fracture of the left femur with intramedullary rod are currently rated at 20 percent.

The Board has granted the application to reopen the claim of service connection for gout and found it well grounded. The claim of service connection for PTSD is also considered well grounded. However, the evaluation for a low back disability remains in appellate status.