Other conditions decisions — 2011

The Board found no evidence of a current rib disability and concluded that the Veteran's complaints are not related to service. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence and missing documents, including a potential lost VA home loan guaranty certificate. The Appellant must provide proof of her eligibility for benefits.

The Board has determined that additional VCAA notice is required and that the appellant should be provided with SSA records, including any medical records related to her husband's application for Social Security benefits. The case will be returned to the RO for further action.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for anesthesia of the right foot and calf was denied by the Board. The evidence did not show moderate incomplete paralysis of the sciatic nerve, which is required for a higher rating.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and his case is dismissed.

The appellant's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination to assess the severity of his disability, as his symptoms have worsened since his last examination.

The Veteran requested an earlier effective date for the award of nonservice-connected pension benefits, which was granted on December 13, 2007. The Board assigned a slightly earlier effective date of December 13, 2007, based on when he refiled his claim.

The Veteran's left inguinal hernia claim is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his condition. His TDIU claim remains pending as it is inextricably intertwined with the increased rating claim.

The Board found that the Veteran's periodic limb movement disorder is not related to service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's failure to report his spouse's increased income resulted in an overpayment of pension benefits, and denied a waiver request. The decision upheld the validity of the debt but granted the Veteran's request for a waiver due to lack of fault on his part.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease is attributable to his service in Vietnam, and he has been granted service connection for a heart disability due to exposure to Agent Orange.

The Veteran's cause of death, adenocarcinoma of the lung, was not related to his military service or his service-connected conditions. The VA examiner found that the Veteran's pulmonary fibrosis did not contribute substantially or materially to his death.

The Board has granted service connection for a thoracic spine disorder, finding that the Veteran's current disability is at least as likely as not related to his military service.

The Veteran's claimed foot disorders were not shown to have developed as a result of service, and the Board denied his claims for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for varicose veins of the right and left lower extremities, from May 7, 2007, was granted. The effective date for a TDIU remains in dispute.

The Veteran's claims for educational assistance benefits under the Montgomery GI Bill - Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR) and the Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP) have been denied as he is not eligible due to his lack of active duty service following his separation in December 1955.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for dysthymic disorder prior to February 3, 1988 and for a TDIU prior to March 31, 1997 was denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a skin disorder, claimed as heat rash, is being remanded due to the need for additional development including obtaining VA treatment records and providing an opinion on whether his current skin disorder is related to his active service.

The Veteran's service-connected patellofemoral syndrome of the right and left knees have been manifested by complaints of pain with flexion limited to at most 135 degrees, normal extension. The RO has denied initial ratings in excess of 10 percent for each knee.

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating and service connection for residuals of small infarct of the left frontal lobe, as well as CVA residuals in the right cerebral hemisphere, have been denied. The evidence does not support the presence of these conditions or their effects on his disability.