Other conditions decisions — 2002

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for Staphylococcus epidermidis and Gaffkya species disability.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim of reopening his service connection for amblyopia, left eye, secondary to anisometropia as no new and material evidence was submitted.

The VA has determined that the veteran's depressive reaction is productive of serious symptoms with significant impairment in social and occupational functioning, warranting a 70 percent evaluation.

The Board has granted a 10 percent evaluation for the veteran's service-connected traumatic amputation of the right ring finger, finding that it is productive of pain.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 30 percent rating for his service-connected left leg disability was denied. The Board found that the earliest ascertainable date of increase in disability was December 29, 1997.

The veteran's claim for flight training benefits under Chapter 30 of the Montgomery GI Bill, Active Duty Educational Assistance Program was denied because he did not have a valid Class II Medical Certificate prior to March 30, 2001.

The Board denied the veteran's request for waiver of overpayment of improved nonservice-connected disability pension, finding that there was no indication of fraud or bad faith on his part and that collection would not create undue hardship.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a chronic acquired psychiatric disability causally related to his service-connected hepatitis, and thus denied his claim for secondary service connection.

The veteran is granted SMC for loss of use of the right hand effective July 8, 1997. His PTSD remains at a 30 percent evaluation from October 25, 2001 onwards.

The veteran's claim for reimbursement of unauthorized medical services rendered in a private hospitalization from October 12 to October 13, 2001 was denied because the claim was not filed within 90 days after discharge.

The veteran's income, after accounting for unreimbursed medical expenses and Social Security benefits, exceeded the maximum annual pension rate applicable in 1998. Therefore, he was not eligible for VA nonservice-connected pension benefits for the year 1998.

The Board finds that the veteran does not have current toe disabilities on either foot which were incurred in or aggravated by active military service.

The Board denied the appellant's appeal to revoke forfeiture of VA benefits, finding that she knowingly provided false information about her marital status.

The Board granted service connection for defective hearing in the right ear and denied service connection for a skin disorder of the feet and a dental disorder. The veteran's right ear hearing loss is considered likely due to noise exposure during his military service, while no current evidence supports the existence or etiology of the claimed skin disorders or dental conditions.

The veteran's claim of entitlement to a permanent and total disability rating for nonservice connected pension purposes has been denied due to his failure to cooperate with VA efforts to obtain necessary evidence.

The Board found that the veteran does not have a current ingrown toenail disability and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection of schizoaffective disorder and granted it, finding that new and material evidence has been received.

The Board has denied a compensable rating for the veteran's service-connected tonsillectomy residuals, finding that there are no symptomatic residuals of the condition.

The Board found that the veteran's presbyopia, a refractive error, is not considered a disability for VA compensation purposes and thus denied service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for service connection and a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss. The RO granted service connection for residuals of a left index finger injury on July 31, 1985, after receiving a new claim from the veteran. Bilateral hearing loss was rated at 10% since April 14, 1999, and increased to 30% effective April 1, 2002.