Other conditions decisions — 2000

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected degenerative joint and disc disease of the lumbar spine warrants a 40 percent evaluation, effective from August 15, 1995.

The veteran's claim for a compensable rating for residuals of a left tympanoplasty was denied as there is no evidence of an active middle ear or mastoid disease, and the veteran does not have any diagnosed ear infections associated with his left tympanoplasty.

The case is being remanded for further development of the appellant's income and medical records to determine if she was receiving additional compensation or payments, which could affect her claim for waiver of recovery of overpayment of death pension benefits.

The Board denied the reopening of a claim for service connection for bilateral frozen feet, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted.

The Board found that the veteran's cancer of the larynx was not related to service or a service-connected disability, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Board found that the appellant's claim for service connection for a muscle hernia of the left leg was not well grounded and denied it.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder due to a lack of credible supporting evidence confirming any claimed in-service stressors.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a disability manifested by loss of acoustic reflexes (claimed as audio dyslexia) is remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board found that the veteran's vancomycin resistant Enterococci, left leg condition is not related to VA hospitalization and thus denied his claim for VA disability compensation benefits.

The Board found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a head injury and back injury. The decision is denied.

The veteran's employment as a self-employed truck driver is considered substantially gainful and does not meet the legal criteria for pension benefits.

The Board has determined that the claim of entitlement to service connection for the cause of the veteran's death is not well grounded due to a lack of competent evidence linking the service-connected psychiatric disability with the cause of death.

The VA denied the appellant's application for improved death pension benefits due to her income exceeding the maximum limit, and she did not submit her application within 45 days of her husband's death.

The Board finds that the veteran's idiopathic cardiomyopathy was incurred in active service and grants service connection for this condition.

The veteran died of arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with aspiration pneumonia as a contributing cause. The VA does not find any evidence linking the service-connected psychiatric disability to his death.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral foot disorder existed prior to service and was aggravated by active military service, warranting service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's ankylosis of the left thumb does not warrant a rating higher than the current 20 percent evaluation.

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed because he died during the pendency of his appeal.

The veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected residuals of an orchiectomy with right inguinal pain and impotence was denied. The case is remanded to obtain a current VA examination.

The Board has vacated the previous decision and remanded the case for further development, including a VA examination to assess urinary leakage and frequency patterns.