Other conditions decisions — 2003

The Board found that the veteran's gastrointestinal disorder, to include Crohn's disease, was incurred in service and granted service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran's peptic ulcer disease was not incurred or aggravated during service and is not related to any in-service event. As a result, the claim for service connection is denied.

The VA denied the appellant's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected disabilities of the right forearm. The appeal is not about service connection at all.

The Board denied the appellant's claim that her husband's death was caused by or substantially contributed to by a disability of service origin, including exposure to Agent Orange. The VA physician stated that the brain tumor and chordoma were not service-connected.

The Board has ordered the RO to obtain the veteran's service medical records and verify his presence in Japan during World War II. The case will be returned for further action.

The Board denied the veteran's request for waiver of recovery of an overpayment of improved pension benefits in the amount of $6,636 due to bad faith on his part.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current residuals of stress fractures to her tibiae or right talus, and therefore, no compensable ratings are warranted for these conditions.

The VA denied an increased evaluation for the veteran's right foot condition, finding that it did not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on the functional loss due to pain and weakness. The current 20 percent evaluation is considered appropriate.

The Board has determined that the veteran's dysthymic disorder is service-connected, as it can be traced back to his active military service.

The veteran's appeal was denied as he did not meet the eligibility requirements for educational assistance under 38 U.S.C.A. Chapter 30.

The veteran's widow did not file a timely claim for accrued benefits within one year of her husband's death, resulting in the denial of the claim.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current diagnoses of aortic valve thickening with aortic insufficiency, mitral insufficiency, tricuspid insufficiency, and atrial fibrillation are residuals of an episode of rheumatic fever he contracted during service. As such, service connection for these conditions is granted.

The appellant's service does not meet the threshold requirements for VA pension benefits due to lack of 90 days of active military service during a period of war, and thus his claim is denied.

The Board granted an initial evaluation of 30 percent for the veteran's nasal septal perforation, finding that his symptoms included persistent nonincapacitating symptoms such as purulent discharge or crusting and headaches. The Board noted that these symptoms did not require surgery but were related to a service-connected injury.

The Board has reopened the claim of entitlement to service connection for residuals of a gunshot wound to the right thigh due to new and material evidence submitted since the May 1985 decision. The appeal is granted.

The veteran is seeking service connection for visual disabilities, and the Board has ordered additional development to ensure compliance with VA's notification requirements under the VCAA.

The VA denied the veteran's widow's application for dependency and indemnity compensation under section 1318, as well as her claim of service connection for the cause of the veteran's death. The appeal is currently pending.

The Board found no evidence of a current ear or lung disability due to service, and denied the veteran's claims for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for cataract and corneal pigmentation of the right eye, as well as bilateral visual impairment including presbyopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. The effective dates requested by the veteran were also denied.

The Board denied the motion to revise a previous decision on grounds of clear and unmistakable error (CUE) because the moving party's claim for temporary total convalescent rating under 38 C.F.R. 4.30 was not timely filed within one year after his eligibility period ended, as evidenced by the date of receipt of his private hospitalization records.