Other conditions decisions — 2000

The Board denied the veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for prostatitis, finding that there was no current diagnosis of prostatitis and that his symptoms were better explained by benign prostatic hypertrophy.

The Board has determined that the veteran's thoracic outlet syndrome is related to his in-service back injury and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board finds that the veteran's service-connected residuals of a bone graft harvested from the left iliac crest region do not warrant a disability evaluation exceeding the current rating of 10 percent.

The Board denied a temporary total rating for convalescence following surgery to correct de Quervain's disease, finding no service-connected disability and denying the claim based on lack of entitlement under the law.

The veteran's claim for service connection and secondary service connection for a bilateral leg disability was denied as there is no medical evidence linking his current bilateral leg disability to his service-connected foot calluses.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an effective date prior to August 20, 1997 for a 10% disability rating for traumatic arthritis secondary to a shell fragment wound to the left knee. The effective date is set at August 20, 1997.

The Board found that the appellant's receipt of improved death pension benefits was properly terminated effective July 1, 1993 due to excessive income. The appellant was not entitled to pension payments for the period of July 1, 1993 through July 1994.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for residuals of vaginal polyp removal and chronic urinary tract infection were denied. The VA found that the evidence did not support a compensable evaluation for the residual condition, but granted a 20% rating for the chronic urinary tract infection.

The Board denied the appellant's waiver request for an overpayment of VA improved death pension benefits, finding that her actions constituted bad faith and thus precluded a waiver.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for apportionment of the veteran's compensation benefits due to the veteran's financial hardship and the appellant not meeting the criteria for hardship.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected cerebrovascular accident residuals do not warrant an initial evaluation in excess of 20 percent, and his hypertension does not warrant a rating higher than 20 percent. The case is remanded for further development.

The veteran's L2-3 herniated nucleus pulposus disability is deemed to have resulted from a slip and fall incident during his VA hospitalization on September 8, 1997. The Board found that the injury occurred and was not pre-existing, thus meeting the criteria for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The veteran's post-traumatic stress disorder is granted as it has been medically linked to his service in Vietnam.

The veteran did not file a claim for VA benefits during his lifetime, and therefore is not entitled to accrued benefits.

The veteran's request for a waiver of loan guaranty indebtedness was denied because it was not filed within one year after notification. The Board has ordered the Regional Office to obtain missing documentation and reevaluate the timeliness issue.

The veteran's daughter seeks payment for unauthorized medical expenses incurred in November 1997 at Columbia Henrico Doctors Hospital. The VA denied the claim as the veteran had no service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for the cause of death, entitlement to DIC benefits under the provisions of 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151, and entitlement to DIC benefits under the provisions of 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for gastroenteritis and a rash in the groin and underarm area as there was no competent medical evidence showing current disabilities or their relationship to service.

The Board denied the veteran's request to reopen his claim of entitlement to service connection for a nervous condition, finding that no new and material evidence had been submitted.

The Board found that the veteran's claim was well-grounded and granted service connection for residuals of cold injury. The examiner did not find a direct link between current symptoms and military service, but noted possible connections to exposure in service.