Other conditions decisions — 2000

The Board has granted the veteran's request for waiver of recovery of an overpayment of $3,941.73 due to his unintentional acceptance of additional compensation benefits as a married veteran after his divorce.

The Board denied the appellant's request for an earlier effective date of September 29, 1995, for service connection for the cause of her husband's death due to congestive heart failure (a presumptive disease for POWs). The appeal is dismissed as there is no entitlement under the law to the benefit sought.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for the cause of his death, finding that there was no competent medical evidence linking his death to any service-connected disability or period of active duty.

The Board has granted an increased rating to 30 percent for the veteran's service-connected left peroneal nerve paralysis, which was previously rated at 20 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a genitourinary disorder, finding that no new and material evidence had been presented to reopen the claim.

The VA has increased the veteran's rating for his service-connected residuals of a chip fracture of the left great toe from noncompensable to 10 percent, effective June 1996. The current disability is rated as moderate.

The Board has granted an initial disability evaluation of 10 percent for status post tenosynovectomy of the right ring finger, effective August 23, 1995.

The VA denied a compensable rating for the veteran's residuals of excision of cyst, right thigh.

The veteran's service connection claim for a musculoskeletal disability of the right leg, claimed as residuals of right calf strain, is granted. The claim for an orthopedic disability of the right foot is also granted.

The veteran's service-connected fracture residuals of his right (major) hand are no more than moderately disabling and are currently manifested by intermittent hand pain, pain on use and reduced grip strength of 4/5. The criteria for an evaluation higher than 10 percent have not been met.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an effective date prior to December 16, 1997, for nonservice-connected disability pension benefits with special monthly pension based on need for aid and attendance due to lack of notice of eligibility and inability to provide information necessary to submit a claim.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his service-connected residuals of excision of neuroma from left upper arm is being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and information regarding employment impact.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a skin disorder is denied as there is no competent evidence linking the current condition to his in-service rash. The claim for an increased rating for PTSD is also denied, with the existing evaluation of 30 percent considered more than adequate.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased evaluation for his schizoaffective disorder and a total disability rating on the basis of unemployability due to service-connected disability, finding that his condition did not meet the criteria for a higher rating or TDIU.

The Board has determined that the veteran's eating disorder, not otherwise specified (ED-NOS), was incurred in service and is therefore granted service connection. The claim for headaches did not meet the criteria to be well-grounded.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for the cause of his death due to bronchogenic carcinoma, finding that there was no evidence of carcinoma in service or within one year following separation from active duty. The Board also found that there was no service-connected disability that contributed substantially or materially to the veteran's death.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive ventilatory (lung) impairment, finding that there was no evidence linking his current condition to service or any incident therein.

The veteran's unauthorized private hospital care from February 3 to February 4, 1998, and from February 23 to February 24, 1998 was not authorized by VA. The claim is denied as the veteran does not meet the criteria for payment or reimbursement under the provisions of 38 C.F.R. § 17.120.

The Board found that the veteran's claim for service connection for myelodysplasia was not well grounded due to a lack of competent medical evidence linking the condition to his active duty service or herbicide exposure.

The Board denied the claim as there is no medical evidence linking the veteran's death to herbicide exposure or any service-connected condition.