Other conditions decisions — 2006

The VA determined that the appellant's deceased spouse did not have qualifying service as a veteran, and therefore denied her claim for VA death pension benefits.

The Board has determined that the veteran's intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) is not related to his military service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

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

The veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of tonsillitis is denied, and his request for an effective date prior to March 25, 2003 is also denied.

The Board has granted a temporary total rating for convalescence following the expiration of a previous temporary total rating due to hospitalization for service-connected left knee iliotibial band syndrome. The rating is effective from June 1, 2003 through July 31, 2003.

The Board has granted service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder, arteriosclerotic coronary artery disease, and a disability manifested by loss of feeling in the arms and hands. The veteran's hearing acuity is manifested by average pure tone thresholds at 1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000 hertz of 50 decibels in the right ear and 46 decibels in the left ear.

The appellant is not entitled to DEA benefits under Chapter 35 as his son turned 26 years old prior to the effective date of his father's permanent and total disability rating based on service-connected disabilities.

The Board found that the veteran does not have residuals of brain trauma incurred in service.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate examination report and requests for additional medical records. The veteran's claim for service connection for gastritis is pending.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development and adjudicative action due to missing records.

The veteran's treatment at Southwest Florida Regional Medical Center from November 10, 2003, to November 16, 2003, was for an emergent condition and VA facilities were not feasibly available. Therefore, the requirements for payment or reimbursement have been met.

The VA has granted a 60 percent rating for Sjögren's syndrome since March 25, 2004. The veteran previously had a 10 percent rating from March 1, 1997.

The veteran's service-connected knee disabilities are each rated at 10 percent for limitation of flexion and extension. The claims for higher ratings have been denied as the evidence does not support a finding that the disability warrants a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board found no evidence that the veteran's sinus bradycardia with right bundle branch block and left anterior hemiblock developed during his period of active service or any period of active duty for training. The findings were not shown to constitute a disability warranting service connection.

The Board determined that the appellant is not entitled to recognition as the surviving spouse of the veteran for VA benefits purposes due to conflicting evidence regarding the validity of the veteran's marriages and divorces.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected excised nevus sebaceous cyst and incomplete fifth cranial nerve paralysis does not warrant a rating higher than 10 percent.

The veteran's service-connected Crohn's disease is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board finds that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board granted service connection for cold injury residuals of the hands and feet, including Raynaud's syndrome. The duodenal ulcer was assigned an initial evaluation of 10 percent.

The VA has denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for pyelonephritis as it does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has remanded the case due to the appellant's request for a videoconference hearing. The appeal will be returned to the RO for scheduling such a hearing.