Other conditions decisions — 2005

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding no evidence linking his death to service.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for nonservice-connected death pension benefits due to lack of legal eligibility based on her husband's service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for duodenal ulcer. Resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the veteran, the Board finds that his current duodenal ulcer is related to his military service.

The Board determined that the appellant's request for a waiver of overpayment was timely filed, and thus granted her request.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for the veteran's Raynaud's phenomenon, but granted ratings for cold injury residuals affecting his hands and right foot.

The Board has determined that Huntington's Chorea was not present in service and is not etiologically related to the veteran's active military service, thus denying the claim for service connection.

The veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a chronic skin disorder remains unresolved and is being remanded for additional development.

The Board denied the veteran's request for waiver of recovery of a loan guaranty indebtedness due to his unemployment and attempts to avoid foreclosure, finding no fault on either party. The VA did not create the debt intentionally.

The veteran's claim for higher evaluations for instability of the left knee and arthritis of both knees was denied. However, he received a separate 10 percent evaluation for arthritis of the right knee effective April 4, 2002.

The Board denied reopening the veteran's claim for service connection for a nervous disorder due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected low back disability warrants a 60 percent rating, which is more than the current 40 percent assigned.

The Board has determined that the veteran's Crohn's disease does not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher evaluation, and thus denied his claim.

The Board has remanded the veteran's appeal to the RO for additional development, including obtaining service medical records and scheduling a VA examination. The veteran is seeking service connection for a chronic Achilles' tendon disorder.

The Board has restored the veteran's 40 percent disability rating for duodenal ulcer from July 1, 2004. The claim for a higher disability rating for duodenal ulcer is denied.

The VA denied an increased evaluation for the veteran's service-connected spondylolisthesis, L5-S1, currently rated at 10 percent. The evidence showed that prior to September 26, 2003, the disability was characterized by pain on motion; however, as of September 26, 2003, it included decreased range of motion and localized tenderness not resulting in abnormal gait.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for gastritis due to his failure to report for a scheduled VA examination, and there is no competent medical evidence relating current gastritis to service.

The appeal is remanded to the RO via the Appeals Management Center (AMC) in Washington, DC for additional development. The veteran's claim of entitlement to special monthly compensation by reason of being in need of regular aid and attendance or on account of being housebound must be reconsidered.

The veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for further development regarding his service-connected bladder disorder and a secondary claim for radiation proctitis. The TDIU issue will be reconsidered after these issues are resolved.

The Board granted an initial rating of 20 percent for Bell's palsy and confirmed the effective date as April 6, 1998.

The veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his left elbow condition is being remanded due to the need for further examination and evaluation of his current functional impairment.