Other conditions decisions — 2005

The Board has ordered the RO to schedule a VA examination for the veteran and request additional medical records. The case will be remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current bilateral eye disability was not incurred during active military service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral defective vision, finding no competent medical evidence linking his current condition to military service.

The Board denied the veteran's request for payment or reimbursement of private medical expenses incurred from February 4, 2002, to February 6, 2002, at Lexington Medical Center due to lack of prior authorization and because the veteran could have been safely transferred to a VA facility by that time.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete financial information and the need for further consideration of the apportionment claim.

The appellant was awarded the maximum improved death pension amount based on zero countable annual income from July 1, 2001 to July 1, 2002. The appeal is denied as she is not entitled to an increased rate of improved death pension benefits during this period.

The Board has determined that there is no earlier effective date for the award of death pension benefits due to a lack of a formal or informal claim prior to March 27, 2002.

The Board denied service connection for cause of the veteran's death, finding no competent evidence linking the cause of death to service or any presumptive conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected schizoaffective disorder alone renders him unable to obtain or retain employment, and thus warrants a 100 percent rating.

The appellant seeks recognition as a 'helpless child' of the deceased veteran on the basis of permanent incapacity for self-support by reason of mental or physical defect at the date of attaining the age of 18 under the provisions of 38 C.F.R. � 3.356. The Board finds that additional development is needed to fully consider his claim.

The veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and consideration of whether an extraschedular rating is warranted.

The veteran's psoriatic arthritis was not found to warrant an initial evaluation in excess of 20 percent from December 1, 2002 to May 15, 2003 or a higher evaluation from May 16, 2003.

The Board denied service connection for parasomnia not otherwise specified and short-term memory loss, finding that the veteran's symptoms were attributed to known clinical diagnoses and did not meet the criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD or other specific conditions.

The VA has determined that the veteran's panic disorder with agoraphobia warrants a 30 percent disability rating, effective from the date of this decision.

The veteran's daughter is entitled to an additional $7.56 in accrued benefits due to burial and funeral expenses.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for corrective action regarding notification requirements under the VCAA.

The Board has determined that the veteran's chronic right eye and left eye disabilities were incurred during active service, warranting service connection.

The veteran's appeal for additional educational assistance benefits was denied as he had no remaining Chapter 34 or Chapter 30 eligibility due to the program expiration and lack of application.

The veteran's claims for service connection for a urinary tract infection and a right thigh disorder are granted. The right thigh disorder is related to combat service, while the urinary tract infection is not claimed as being due to combat.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings for his left elbow and hand conditions have been denied. The maximum rating of 50% has been granted for the left elbow fracture with residuals, but no higher. For the left hand condition, a 30% evaluation is assigned effective December 10, 2003.