Other conditions decisions — 2006

The Board has ordered the case to be remanded due to incomplete service medical records and the need to clarify whether new evidence supports reopening of the veteran's claim for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an effective date earlier than July 17, 1998 for a 100 percent rating for schizophrenia and for a rating in excess of 10 percent for tension headaches prior to September 26, 2003.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected hip disabilities, finding that the residuals did not approximate the moderately severe level.

The Board has determined that the veteran's lung disability was not incurred in or aggravated by active duty, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for a duodenal ulcer, status post vagotomy is denied as he failed to report without good cause to the scheduled VA examinations.

The veteran's appeal regarding the timeliness of his request for waiver of overpayment was denied.

The Board found that the cause of death was not service-connected and denied entitlement to DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318.

The veteran's service-connected right median nerve impairment and left calf injury have been granted increased ratings, with the right median nerve impairment receiving a rating of 70 percent effective from January 24, 2006. The veteran's service-connected residuals of a right forearm injury and left leg injury continue to be rated at 10 percent.

The Board found no competent medical evidence linking the veteran's alcohol abuse to his service-connected dysthymia, and thus denied service connection for alcohol abuse.

The Board found that the veteran does not have any additional disability involving the left elbow and left upper extremities, caused by electrodiagnostic testing conducted at a VA medical facility in April 2002.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected left varicocele does not meet the criteria for an initial compensable evaluation, as there is no evidence of voiding or renal dysfunction related to this condition.

The Board found that the veteran's ankylosing spondylitis did not warrant a rating in excess of 20 percent under either the old or new criteria for evaluating spine disabilities.

The Board has granted a 10 percent evaluation for paresthesia of the right lower lip as a residual of dental surgery, effective from January 3, 2006.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current thoracic spine disability and finds that her claimed condition is not related to service. As such, the claim for service connection is denied.

The Board denied service connection for endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, and uterine fibroid disease with total abdominal hysterectomy and left salpingo-oophorectomy as the veteran's current conditions were not found to be related to her in-service right salpingo-oophorectomy.

The Board denied service connection for the veteran's aortic valve disease, chronic atrial fibrillation, and diminished cardiac reserve with aortic valve replacement and pacemaker implant as these conditions were not incurred or aggravated in service and are not proximately due to his service-connected esophageal stricture with Barrett's esophagus.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation in excess of 30 percent for his post-operative right total hip replacement with degenerative joint disease is being remanded due to VCAA notice deficiencies.

The Board found that the veteran's pre-existing congenital strabismus did not worsen during service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of death due to lack of evidence linking metastatic adenocarcinoma of the liver to service, including exposure to herbicides.

The Board has reopened the appellant's claim for DIC benefits and found that new evidence supports a finding of line-of-duty death. However, the cause of death remains disputed due to conflicting witness statements.