Other conditions decisions — 2003

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim of service connection for a back disability. The claim is now considered on its merits.

The Board found that the veteran does not have a chronic disability manifested by chest pain, upper back strain, cold weather injury or arthritis of the hands, knees and feet related to her service. Therefore, service connection for these conditions was denied.

The veteran's appeal is about his claim for an increased evaluation for hip replacement complications. The Board has scheduled a videoconference hearing and will remand the case to the RO for further action.

The Board found that the veteran's duodenal ulcer is no more than moderate in degree and does not warrant a rating higher than 20 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for dry eyes ameibotitis and assigned a noncompensable rating to the veteran's left knee, right knee, and fractured left fifth metatarsal disabilities.

The Board found no evidence of a right arm disorder during service or within one year post-service, and the medical records do not provide sufficient information to establish service connection. The veteran's current condition is attributed to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for arthritis of the left and right arms, as well as an increased rating for anosmia.

The VA has determined that the veteran's bilateral knee disability does not warrant a higher initial evaluation, as his symptoms do not meet or approximate the criteria for any higher rating under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that colon cancer was not incurred in or aggravated by active military duty and did not contribute to his death. The Board also found no evidence of exposure to herbicide agents during service.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the appellant's active duty from February 17, 1987 to April 3, 1992 ended with an other than honorable discharge due to willful and persistent misconduct. This period is considered dishonorable for VA purposes and constitutes a bar to VA benefits.

The Board has determined that the claim for an increased rating for residuals of bilateral inguinal hernia repairs is denied.

The veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the increased evaluation for his right knee condition, effective before the Board's decision was issued.

The Board has determined that the metallic foreign bodies in the veteran's left forearm were incurred during combat service, and grants service connection for residuals of a shell fragment wound to the left forearm.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation of his service-connected scar, right side of the face, was denied. The issue regarding reopening a claim for service connection for enucleation of the right eye due to gunshot wound was also denied.

The case is being remanded for additional development of the evidence.

The Board determined that the appellant was at fault in creating the overpayment of improved death pension benefits and denied waiver of recovery due to undue financial hardship.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral hip disorder as secondary to his service-connected left knee disability, finding that there is no current evidence of a hip disorder and thus no basis for granting service connection.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including gunshot wounds and fractures, did not preclude his participation in all forms of substantially gainful employment prior to February 22, 1996.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of service connection for left eye disability, finding no current disability related to service and no evidence linking any current condition to service.

The Board found that the veteran does not currently have post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of his military service and denied the claim for service connection.