Other conditions decisions — 2004

The Board found that the veteran does not currently have otitis media or bilateral hearing disability related to his active service and denied both claims.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate evidence and need for further development, including a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the appellant did not have qualifying service for VA benefits and is therefore not a veteran.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for a gastrointestinal disorder and for loss of teeth 8 and 9 due to trauma. However, these claims are being remanded for further development as additional evidence is needed to determine if there is a current diagnosis and whether the conditions are related to service.

The VA has determined that the veteran's service-connected laceration of the left Achilles tendon warrants a 20 percent rating, which is the maximum available under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The veteran is seeking compensation for additional right eye disability resulting from VA treatment in 2001. The case has been remanded to determine if the disability was caused by VA negligence.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected residuals, trephine, left frontal sinus is being remanded due to the need for additional development including obtaining medical records from Social Security Administration and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for payment of additional education benefits under Title 38, United States Code, Chapter 30 due to the course not being approved by the state approving agency. The law does not allow for payment of additional education benefits for the professional school bus driver course taken by the veteran.

The Board denied the appellant's claim of entitlement to service connection for bone fractures secondary to ionizing radiation exposure, finding that there was no evidence linking his current condition to his military service or any in-service radiation exposure.

The Board denied the appellant's claim to be recognized as the veteran's surviving spouse for purposes of VA benefits, finding that she did not meet the legal criteria.

The Board has ordered additional development to determine if the veteran's current right hip disability and memory loss are reasonably foreseeable during his VA procedure, including a review of his medical history.

The Board has remanded the case for further investigation into a claim submitted by the appellant to the Social Security Administration, which may have resulted in a lump sum death payment. The effective date of DIC benefits will be determined based on the receipt of this claim.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected deviated nasal septum and postoperative IVDS, finding that the current ratings adequately compensated him for his disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of service connection for a dental condition involving tooth number 8, finding that there was no evidence of service trauma and concluding that the treatment provided during active duty in 1991 did not constitute service-connected disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to July 31, 1998 for service connection of varicose veins of the left lower extremity.

The veteran is seeking an increased rating for his service-connected left deltoid injury, but the RO denied this claim in March 2002. The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and examination.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for service connection for residuals of a gunshot wound to his left leg, finding that new and material evidence had not been received. The RO previously denied the claim in June 1952 due to the date of the injury (November 10, 1944) antedating his recognized military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hiatal hernia was incurred during his active service and granted entitlement to service connection for this condition.

The Board found that the veteran does not currently suffer from an ear disability and denied her claim for service connection.

The Board denied the claim of service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that no service-connected disability was the principal or contributory cause of death.