Other conditions decisions — 2003

The Board found that the veteran's chronic lymphocytic leukemia was not incurred in or aggravated by service, nor may it be presumed to have been incurred in service. The preponderance of evidence indicates that his post-service condition is not causally related to his active service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to recent court rulings, and the veteran's claim of service connection for skin rash disability will be reviewed by the RO.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to incomplete compliance with previous directives and for VCAA notification.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for a left ear condition. The veteran appealed this decision, and the Court ordered it remanded back to the Board for readjudication.

The Board has determined that the appellant is entitled to improved death pension benefits for March 1995 and finds no bad faith in the creation of the overpayment. The appeal regarding waiver of recovery of an overpayment of $18,084 is granted.

The Board has determined that the veteran's residuals of a healed contusion of the lower back warrant a 40 percent disability rating, which is the maximum available under the criteria for limitation of motion and intervertebral disc syndrome.

The Board denied an increased disability rating for the veteran's varicose veins of the right leg.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected lower back syndrome does not warrant a rating higher than 20 percent, as there is no evidence of severe limitation of motion attributable to this condition.

The veteran's service connection claim for residuals of a left foot injury is granted as the evidence confirms there was a left foot injury during service and currently has residual symptoms.

The Board denied the appellant's request for an effective date prior to July 18, 1995 for her award of DIC benefits. The claim was filed in January 1987 and did not include a service connection claim.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to issues related to increased evaluation of service-connected panic disorder.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for arthritis, finding that there was no evidence linking his current condition to his military service.

The Board found that the veteran's right ear recurrent drainage and ruptured eardrum were incurred in service and aggravated by service, warranting service connection.

The Board denied an increased evaluation for the veteran's service-connected post-operative left inguinal hernia, finding that the disability did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has vacated the October 2002 decision denying service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability and remanded the case to reassess the claim based on new evidence.

The Board has ordered a VA psychiatric examination to determine the exact diagnosis of any psychiatric and/or personality disorders found to be present, including PTSD. The veteran claims he developed PTSD as a result of personal assault during service.

The Board found that the veteran does not have a diagnosed disability manifested by heat intolerance or its residuals, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has denied the veteran's initial rating claims for residuals of a fracture of the left fifth metacarpal and residuals of a scalp laceration, finding that the evidence does not support an increased disability rating.

The Board has ordered further development in the case due to pending issues and regulatory changes. The appeal is currently on hold for additional review.

The Board found no current diagnosis of histoplasmosis and denied the claim for service connection.