Other conditions decisions — 2000

The veteran is seeking to reopen his claim for service connection of a duodenal ulcer. The Board will review the evidence to determine if new and material evidence has been submitted, applying the less stringent Hodge standard.

The Board denied the appellant's claim to establish her adopted grandson J. as a child of the veteran for VA purposes due to the adoption occurring more than 17 years after the veteran's death and not meeting the criteria for an 'adopted child' under VA regulations.

The veteran's service-connected disability is the residuals of gastrectomy with gastro-jejunostomy for duodenal ulcer disease, evaluated at 60 percent disabling. The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the veteran's employability.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for non-service-connected pension benefits due to lack of legal merit, as his service did not meet the eligibility requirements.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional medical examination and development of his claims file. The issue remains whether he should receive a higher rating for his right fifth finger fracture.

The appeal has been dismissed as the appellant withdrew their appeal before a decision was made.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal.

The veteran's appeal was dismissed because they died during the pendency of their appeal.

The Board denied both the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a concussion and an increased evaluation for his left leg fascial injury with release.

The Board has granted the veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a back injury, finding that there is sufficient evidence to establish a direct link between the current condition and his active duty service.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 10% disability rating for bladder carcinoma was denied. The Board found that the requirements were not met due to lack of notification of the August 1987 RO decision, and that the unappealed August 31, 1987 rating decision incorrectly applied the statutory or regulatory provisions resulting in clear and unmistakable error.

The Board denied an increased rating for service-connected status post compression fracture of the T6 vertebra, finding that there was no demonstrable deformity of a vertebral body as set forth by Diagnostic Code 5285.

The Board has denied a combined rating in excess of 50 percent for palindromic arthritis. The case is being remanded to the RO for further evaluation and consideration based on VA regulatory provisions.

The Board found no objective indications of chronic disability manifested by fatigue or memory loss, and thus denied the veteran's claims for service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a chronic cardiovascular disability and therefore, service connection is denied.

The Board found that the appellant was entitled to Section 306 death pension benefits through December 31, 1983, but not thereafter. The termination of benefits in 1982 due to excessive income could not reasonably have been anticipated based on the amount actually received in 1982.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection for back and neck disorders, speech impediment, sleep disorder, and residuals of syphilis are not well grounded. The claim for a disability of the hands, other than those involving the right third and fifth fingers is well grounded.

The Board has dismissed the case as it does not have original jurisdiction to decide the issue of attorney fees under direct-payment contingency-fee agreements.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) as there was no evidence of its presence during or after active service.

The veteran's urticaria with pruritus is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board denied a higher rating.