Other conditions decisions — 2009

The Veteran's astigmatism and refractive error were diagnosed during service, but the Board found that these conditions are not compensable as they are congenital or developmental defects.

The Board denied the appellant's application to reopen her claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that no new and material evidence was received.

The Board found that the Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected condition, and denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral pseudophakia and cataracts are not related to service or his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and thus denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for ALS, a presumptively service-connected condition, as it is associated with the Veteran's military service. The cause of death listed on his death certificate was anoxic encephalopathy and complete heart block due to ALS.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected right thumb disability is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination.

The Veteran's current skin condition of the feet is not shown to be causally or etiologically related to active service. Therefore, his claim for service connection for a skin condition of the feet is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's ulcerative colitis existed prior to service and was aggravated by service, granting his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's left knee disability is currently rated at 10 percent for osteochondrosis of the tuberosity of the left tibia with moderate degenerative joint disease, and does not meet criteria for a higher rating.

The Board found no evidence of in-service exposure to histoplasmosis and concluded that the Veteran's current eye and lung conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran was not a fugitive felon and therefore, the termination of pension benefits from December 27, 2001 to November 2, 2005, and the creation of the overpayment for that period in the amount of $35,989.26 were improper.

The Board found that the Veteran's osteochondritis of the thoracic spine existed prior to his active military service and did not permanently increase in severity during service. The bilateral lower extremity sciatic nerve neuralgia was also determined to be unrelated to service.

The Veteran's PTSD was found to be manifested by occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity prior to March 22, 2007. The symptoms included flattened affect, intermittent panic attacks, difficulty understanding complex commands, and mild memory loss.

The Board found no evidence linking the Veteran's current breathing disorder to his active service, including any exposure to asbestos. As such, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Veteran's service is not during a period of war, and therefore does not meet the eligibility criteria for VA nonservice-connected pension benefits.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for loss of balance, which is secondary to his service-connected hearing loss, has been denied as the Board finds that the current findings are more likely attributed to non-service connected cardiac problems.

The Board found no evidence to support the Veteran's claim of service connection for atrial fibrillation, as there was no in-service occurrence and no medical evidence linking it to his diabetes mellitus. The appeal is denied.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed as the appellant (Veteran) withdrew their appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is being remanded due to the need for additional medical evidence and a current examination.

The Board has determined that the appellant's character of discharge from service is a bar to VA benefits due to being discharged under other than honorable conditions for AWOL.