Other conditions decisions — 2005

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

The veteran's claim for service connection for angioneurotic edema as a symptom of PTSD with depressive disorder was granted, but the effective date is set at September 15, 1999. The TDIU claim was also granted, but not earlier than March 23, 1995.

The Board found that the veteran's current back disability is not related to service and denied his claim.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and procedural issues, including failure to provide VCAA notification, obtain medical examination results, and request Social Security Administration (SSA) disability benefits records.

The Board has determined that the veteran's pulmonary fibrosis, interstitial fibrosis, and emphysema were not incurred or aggravated during his period of active service.

The Board found that the veteran's stomach disability, including peptic ulcer disease (PUD), was not incurred in or aggravated by service and denied his claim.

The Board found that the cause of the veteran's death was not related to his military service, including exposure to Agent Orange.

The Board granted increased ratings for the veteran's left hand disability to 60% and right thumb disability to 20%. The current evaluations are considered appropriate based on the severity of the disabilities.

The veteran's death was caused by terminal prostate cancer and a previous stroke, but not related to service. The cause of death is not due to or substantially contributed to by a disability incurred in or aggravated by his active duty service.

The Board denied the appellant's request to reopen his claim for non-service-connected disability pension, finding that no new and material evidence had been submitted.

The veteran's application for enrollment in the VA healthcare system was denied as he did not meet the basic eligibility requirements, including having no service-connected disabilities and being ineligible due to his income level.

The Board has determined that the preponderance of evidence does not support a finding of a pulmonary embolism or myocardial infarction secondary to service-connected total right knee replacement.,Therefore, the veteran's claims for service connection for these conditions are denied.

The Board is remanding the case to the RO via the AMC for further development and consideration of the appellant's claim, including providing notice under the VCAA.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current diagnosis of impotence, loss of sexual drive, or low testosterone production. The medical evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to his service-connected schizoaffective disorder or any medications prescribed for it.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, but denied the claim on the merits.

The veteran's appeal on the issue of entitlement to service connection for a disability manifested by nosebleeds due to exposure to ionizing radiation has been withdrawn. The remaining issues have been remanded for further development.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher disability ratings for his service-connected bursitis of the left olecranon, right thumb disability, acne of the face, shoulders and back, and residuals of laceration of the chin. The evidence did not support a compensable evaluation for any of these conditions.

The Board has ordered additional development to obtain the veteran's autopsy report and any relevant VA records. The case will be reviewed by a VA physician to determine if the cause of death is related to his military service or post-service events.

The Board has determined that the veteran's actions did not constitute fraud, misrepresentation or bad faith on his part. Therefore, the overpayment of $889 in pension benefits was not created through such means and the waiver request is granted.

The veteran's claim for VA educational assistance under Chapter 30, Title 38, United States Code is denied as he has already received more than the allowed 48 months of benefits under another program.