Other conditions decisions — 2006

The Board found that the veteran's claimed conditions, including brain aneurysms and memory loss, are not related to his military service. The VA examiner concluded that these conditions were not incurred during service or due to any inservice event.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence linking the veteran's arthritis of the hips to his period of active duty, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Board found that nicotine dependence, or any other service-connected disability, was not the proximate cause of the veteran's death; did not contribute substantially and materially to cause the veteran's death; did not make the veteran materialistically less capable of resisting the overwhelming effects of his fatal conditions; and/or did not have a material influence in accelerating his death.

The Board found that the veteran's hidradenitis suppurativa is not related to pilonidal cysts he had during service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran is seeking service connection for myocardial infarctions and their residuals, which are claimed to be secondary to his service-connected thrombophlebitis of the left leg. The case has been remanded due to inadequate medical opinion regarding whether the service-connected condition caused or aggravated any diagnosed cardiovascular disorder.

The veteran's DVT of the LLE was rated at 30 percent from April 17, 1997 to January 11, 1998 and at 40 percent since January 12, 1998. The rating for DVT of the RLE was increased to 40 percent effective August 6, 2004.

The Board found no evidence of a sleep disorder during service and insufficient post-service medical evidence to establish a nexus between the current sleep disorder and service. Therefore, the veteran's claims for service connection for a sleep disorder and schizophrenia were denied.

The Board finds that the veteran's pancreatic cancer, which caused his death, was incurred in active military service and grants service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The Board found that the veteran's injuries sustained in a February 24, 1980 automobile accident were the result of his own willful misconduct due to severe intoxication from alcohol.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA and Social Security Administration records, scheduling a psychiatric examination, and reviewing the claims folder with a psychiatrist to determine if the veteran has a current psychiatric disorder related to his active service.

The Board denied an initial compensable evaluation for residuals of pneumonia, finding no evidence to support a higher rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and the need for a VA examination to determine if the veteran's current left leg disorder is related to his in-service stress fractures.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for further development, including obtaining a medical opinion regarding whether the veteran's degenerative changes in the thoracic spine are related to his service or his service-connected lumbar spine condition.

The Board found that the veteran does not have a skin disorder that was first manifested or worsened during active service and denied his claim for service connection on a direct basis.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right Achilles tendonitis does not warrant a higher rating, as it is currently evaluated at 20 percent. The claim for an increased (compensable) rating for sinusitis remains in controversy due to the evidence supporting a 30 percent rating prior to October 7, 1996.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for additional development and adjudication due to incomplete service medical records.

The Board has ordered the case to be remanded for additional development, including notifying the appellant of what evidence is necessary to reopen his claim and which documents would constitute 'acceptable evidence' of qualifying military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for the cause of his death and also denied entitlement to Dependents' Educational Assistance benefits. The evidence did not establish a link between any disability and the veteran's military service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA examination and medical opinion regarding the in-service schizoid personality traits. The veteran's claim of service connection for schizoaffective disorder remains pending.

The Board denied the veteran's request for a waiver of recovery of an overpayment of nonservice-connected pension benefits, finding that his actions constituted bad faith and thus precluded waiver.