Other conditions decisions — 2008

The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for the veteran's lumbar spine disability, effective October 2003. Separate ratings of 10 percent each have been assigned for neurological impairment in both lower extremities.

The veteran's gastrointestinal disorder is not found to be related to his service-connected PTSD, and thus he does not meet the criteria for secondary service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have chronic pancreatitis and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found no link between the veteran's current PTSD symptoms and his in-service stressors, thus denying service connection for PTSD.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral defective hearing does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board has determined that the appellant is not eligible to receive survivor benefits as she was not married to the veteran at the time of his death.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to his service-connected right hip disability, as it did not meet the minimum percentage requirements under the applicable criteria.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic low back disorder in service and concluded that the current condition is not related to service. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Board found that the veteran's squamous cell carcinoma of the mouth and mandible was not incurred or aggravated during active service, nor may it be presumed to have been incurred therein.

The veteran's enrollment at Oxford Institute of Technology from November 18, 2002 to July 1, 2004 was not approved for VA educational benefits and thus payment is denied.

The veteran's overpayment of $3,548.52 in pension benefits is still on appeal due to a bankruptcy discharge. The case has been remanded for scheduling a Travel Board hearing.

The Board has determined that the appellant's pre-existing right shoulder gunshot wound did not undergo any permanent increase in disability during service, and thus cannot be considered aggravated by military service. As a result, the claim for service connection for weakness of the right arm is denied.

The veteran's daughter seeks payment for unreimbursed medical expenses incurred during her father's last 15 months of life, which could potentially affect his pension benefits. The RO has not yet adjudicated this claim due to the need for further development and VCAA compliance.

The Board found that the veteran's ulcerative colitis did not have its onset in service and denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's reported total family income, less medical expenses, substantially exceeds the maximum rate of pension payable for a veteran with four dependents. As such, the criteria for entitlement to nonservice-connected pension benefits are not met.

The Board has granted an apportionment of $66.00 per month on behalf of the appellant for the period from February 2004 to September 2004, as this amount was specifically allocated for her support.

The Board found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the veteran's claims for service connection for his left hip stress fracture with degenerative joint disease and low back disability. The Board determined that the current disabilities were not related to service.

The Board found no clear and unmistakable error in the November 1954 rating decision denying service connection for Bell's palsy. The claim was reopened, and an effective date of January 29, 2003, was granted.

The Board has determined that the veteran's cervical spine injury occurred while he was not on active duty for training or inactive duty training, and thus service connection is denied.

The veteran's service is not considered 'service during a period of war', thus denying the claim for non-service-connected death pension.