Other conditions decisions — 2004

The Board found that the veteran does not have a current diagnosis of a nervous condition and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for further action consistent with the directives of a July 2003 Order, which vacated the denial of service connection for the cause of the veteran's death and considered the claim for DEA benefits abandoned.

The Board has granted a 60 percent rating for varicose veins of the right leg and left leg, effective from March 2003. The veteran's disability is characterized by persistent edema, stasis pigmentation or eczema, and intermittent ulceration.

The veteran's right nephrectomy residuals are not considered to be associated with additional disability due to VA carelessness, negligence, or error in judgment.

The Board found that the veteran's current respiratory disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by his active duty service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration of the issues related to effective dates and restoration of dependency and indemnity compensation benefits. The appellant's representative has filed a notice of disagreement regarding the severance of dependency and indemnity compensation benefits.

The veteran's post-operative residuals involving the left arm and hand are currently rated at 60 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available. The effective date for his total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities was changed from July 5, 1990 to January 4, 1995.

The Board found that the veteran does not currently have disabling symptoms associated with service-connected patent ductus arteriosus and denied a compensable rating.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and to schedule a personal hearing before the Board.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death as a result of nicotine dependence acquired in service, concluding that there was no evidence to support this claim.

The veteran's left hip disability, characterized by avascular necrosis with degenerative changes, was found to be productive of limited motion due to pain and the need for prescription pain medication. The RO granted a rating of 30 percent prior to February 21, 2002.

The Board has remanded the veteran's appeal due to additional development being required, including verifying combat exposure and obtaining medical opinions on PTSD and employment issues.

The Board has denied the appellant's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected hammertoes and denied his claim for service connection for arthritis of the toes bilaterally, finding that it is not at least as likely as not caused by or aggravated by his service-connected hammertoes.

The VA has determined that the veteran's service-connected residuals of a shell fragment wound to Muscle Group XVII, left buttock do not warrant an evaluation in excess of 20 percent.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the veteran's cardiovascular conditions, specifically hypertension and its secondary effects on his heart.

The Board denied the veteran's appeal, finding that his delimiting date for receiving VA Chapter 30 educational benefits was October 9, 1999. The RO reduced this date based on a reduction in eligibility due to periods of non-active duty service.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the veteran's withdrawal of his appeal.

The Board denied service connection for flu-like syndrome and remanded the issue of increased rating for left knee disability.

The Board has granted service connection for right hip arthritis, but denied service connection for left hip disorder and bilateral leg disorder. The effective date is not specified.

The Board denied the appellant's request for an effective date earlier than November 1, 2003 for restoration of DIC benefits as her remarriage terminated by divorce in July 2000 was not reported to VA within one year.