Other conditions decisions — 2005

The veteran's claim for special monthly pension based on the need for aid and attendance of another person is granted. However, his claim for service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional evidence and notification.

The VA has determined that the veteran's gouty arthropathy, currently rated at 60 percent disabling, does not warrant a higher rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for ear disease and an initial rating for bilateral hearing loss, finding no evidence of a current disability. The claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for bilateral hearing loss was also denied.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hip degenerative joint disease and an increased rating for right ankle degenerative joint disease, finding that the hip disability did not begin during or as a result of his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for loss of teeth for compensation purposes, finding no evidence of dental trauma to his teeth resulting in irreplaceable missing teeth or loss of body of the maxilla due to trauma or disease other than periodontal disease.

The Board found that the cause of the veteran's death was not related to his military service and denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death.

The Board has determined that the effective date for the grant of service connection for left vocal cord paralysis should be March 5, 1987. The veteran had this condition in service and provided relevant medical records to support his claim.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess the current severity of his left eye impairment due to perforated retina.

The veteran's pituitary tumor and optic atrophy are currently rated as 10% and 50%, respectively. The appeals for increased ratings have been denied.

The appellant's income exceeded the maximum annual income for death pension benefits, resulting in a denial of her claim.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has denied the veteran's request for an increased rating for his service-connected post-operative residuals of a left foot injury, currently evaluated as 10 percent disabling.

The Board has determined that the veteran is not entitled to an earlier effective date for the payment of additional compensation based on his spouse's dependency, as he did not inform VA within one year of their marriage in January 1998.

The Board denied the appellant's petition to reopen her claim for VA death benefits, finding that no new and material evidence had been submitted.

The veteran's separation pay of $30,000 was properly recouped from his VA disability compensation as required by law.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for additional benefits for her adopted child, ASAM, as the adoption was not within two years of the veteran's death and therefore does not meet legal requirements.

The appeal is being remanded for scheduling a Travel Board hearing at the RO in Muskogee, Oklahoma.

The Board found that the veteran's current right foot disability did not have its onset during service and was not caused by any incident of service. As a result, the claim for service connection for residuals of a fracture of the right foot was denied.

The Board has determined that the cause of the veteran's death, an abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture due to or as a consequence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, was not caused by or substantially contributed to his death. The service-connected conditions did not play a role in causing the veteran's death.

The veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the denial of VA educational assistance benefits.