Other conditions decisions — 2002

The Board has granted service connection for dysthymia and awarded a 30 percent evaluation, effective from April 2000. The veteran's symptoms include anxiety, nervousness, depression, insomnia, social isolation, and an inability to maintain employment.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to new legislation, and the veteran wants a Travel Board hearing.

The appellant's claim for an increase in her improved death pension benefits is denied as the amount she receives is properly based on her monthly income.

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he withdrew his appeal prior to the Board making a decision.

The veteran's appeal is remanded due to a procedural error in the determination of an overpayment of nonservice-connected pension benefits. The Committee must determine if the overpayment was properly created and whether waiver of collection should be granted.

The veteran's bilateral foot disability, specifically metatarsalgia and arthritis of the toes, is currently rated at 10 percent in each foot. The RO has granted increased ratings for both feet.

The veteran's service-connected residuals of a fracture of the right ankle, including a malunion of the internal malleolus, are currently evaluated as 30 percent disabling. The Board found that the evidence did not warrant an increased evaluation.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his duodenal ulcer and esophageal disorder, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his symptoms.

The veteran's service-connected postoperative duodenal ulcer disease with gastrointestinal reflux disease and Barrett's-type esophagitis is currently rated at 40 percent, but the Board finds that this rating adequately compensates his disability.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for lung disability, which was previously denied in an unappealed rating decision.

The Board has determined that there is no current evidence of left ear hearing loss meeting VA standards, and thus the veteran's claim for service connection for left ear defective hearing is denied.

The VA denied an increased rating for the veteran's retinitis of the right eye, currently rated at 30 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for a right thumb disability, finding that the veteran's injury occurred during his military service.

The VA has denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected right hip stress fracture, currently rated at 20 percent. The evidence does not support a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has determined that the appellant, A.A., O.D.P., V.L., and A.G. are entitled to 40%, 30%, 10%, and 10% of the proceeds of the veteran's NSLI policy, respectively.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disability was denied as there is no objective evidence of a current disability, and the RO could not locate his original service medical records.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection of eye disability due to new evidence showing that pre-existing chorioretinitis worsened during service. The claim is granted as the veteran's vision impairment was aggravated by service.

The veteran's service connection claim for residuals of coccidioidomycosis is granted as his current pulmonary lung disease can be attributed to in-service coccidioidomycosis.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for improved death pension benefits due to her countable income exceeding the maximum applicable limit.

The Board found conflicting medical opinions and concluded that the osteopenia is not related to the service-connected post-operative partial resection of the stomach with hiatal hernia.