Other conditions decisions — 2000

The Board denied the appellant's request for a waiver of recovery of an overpayment in her VA improved death pension benefits, finding that her actions (including reporting in her application that she had not applied for SSA benefits) amounted to misrepresentation and willful failure to disclose a material fact with intent to retain VA benefits.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of service connection for a back disability, finding no competent medical evidence linking his current disability to his military service.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for stomach cancer and Leydig cell tumor of the left testicle, finding no new and material evidence presented to reopen the stomach cancer claim.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for dependency and indemnity compensation, improved nonservice-connected death pension benefits, and burial benefits due to lack of evidence supporting her claims. The cause of the veteran's death was not service-connected, and she did not meet income requirements for improved nonservice-connected death pension.

The Board has determined that the veteran's traumatic arthritis of the right elbow is related to his military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The veteran's cardiac arrhythmias and multiple joint pain were not incurred in or aggravated during his military service. His osteoarthritis of various joints may not be presumed to have been incurred in service.

The Board found that the veteran's claims for service connection for lung disability and nicotine dependence with continued tobacco use leading to a lung disorder are not well-grounded. The evidence did not support a finding of in-service exposure or disease, nor could it be determined if current lung disabilities were related to service.

The veteran's service-connected postoperative varicose veins in both lower extremities do not render him unable to engage in substantially gainful employment, as his other nonservice-connected disabilities and age prevent him from securing and maintaining such employment.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right wrist disability was aggravated by a fall while using a defective wheelchair issued by VA, and his bilateral rotator cuff disease is secondary to his service-connected right wrist disability. As such, compensation benefits are granted for both conditions.

The Board denied service connection for leukemia, finding that the evidence did not support a direct relationship to service or exposure to Agent Orange.

The veteran's appeals for increased ratings were dismissed as he withdrew his appeal in March 2000.

The veteran's claim for payment of unauthorized medical treatment is denied as the condition did not meet the criteria for emergency care.

The Board found that the appellant's panic disorder, with agoraphobia, did not present an exceptional or unusual disability picture due to service-connected conditions and thus denied submission of an extra-schedular evaluation.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for residuals of a snake bite as there is no medical evidence of a current disability and no nexus between any incident during service, including the snake bite in July 1951, and the appellant's current complaints.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for residuals of a fracture of the posterior malleous of the right tibia was denied due to his failure to report for a scheduled VA examination.

The Board has determined that there is no causal relationship between the veteran's service-connected psoriatic arthritis and his Crohn's disease, thus denying the claim for secondary service connection.

The appeal has been dismissed as the appellant withdrew his appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board found that the veteran's presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome (POHS) is not attributable to his period of active military service.

The Board granted service connection for cataracts and chondromalacia of the right and left patella, but denied service connection for arthritis-multiple joints. The veteran's claims were based on direct evidence rather than a presumption or secondary service connection.

The Board has determined that the appellant's left thorax disability is no more than 10 percent disabling based on the schedular criteria and does not warrant extraschedular consideration. The total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is also denied.