Other conditions decisions — 2012

The Veteran's right elbow disability is currently rated at 40 percent, and the Board finds that this rating adequately reflects the severity of his condition based on the evidence provided.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for residuals of dental trauma due to inadequate VCAA notice. The Veteran and his daughter need to be provided proper notification regarding this specific type of claim.

The Veteran's right inguinal hernia and ilioinguinal nerve entrapment have not required additional convalescence beyond May 31, 2005. The Board finds that the evidence does not support an extension of a total convalescent rating under the provisions of 38 C.F.R. § 4.30.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of any diagnosed skin condition and schizoid personality disorder. The Veteran may be in receipt of Social Security benefits which must also be obtained.

The Veteran's skin disorder and bilateral shin splints have not been diagnosed during the appeal period.,Service connection for these conditions has been denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of head trauma is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination and further development.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the Veteran's claims, including obtaining an addendum opinion regarding her multiple myeloma and reviewing any previously submitted evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for osteoporosis of the right hip, left hip, and spine based on evidence showing these conditions had onset during active service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the cause of the Veteran's death and whether it is related to his military service, including exposure to herbicides. The appellant seeks service connection for the cause of her husband's death due to cardiac arrest.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right eye branch retinal vein occlusion is secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected hallux valgus of the left foot has already been assigned a maximum schedular evaluation, and no further increase in rating is warranted.

The Board has determined that collagenous colitis was caused by or aggravated by the use of NSAID pain-relievers to treat service-connected disabilities, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board found that the overpayment was valid and that the appellant was solely at fault in its creation. The debt would cause undue financial hardship for the appellant, as her income is used only for basic necessities of life. Therefore, recovery of the overpayment would be against equity and good conscience.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for numbness of the arms, to include as secondary to Guillain-Barre Syndrome, was denied. The Board found no evidence of a current disability manifested by numbness in the arms and concluded that the preponderance of the evidence did not support the claim. For his Guillain-Barre Syndrome with motor weakness of the bilateral lower extremities, an increased rating was also denied. Finally, for his umbilical scar as a post-operative residual of a herniorrhaphy, a compensable rating was denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a new VA examination to evaluate his service-connected paresis of the left leg, specifically addressing the criteria for an 80 percent evaluation.

The appellant is not recognized as the surviving spouse of the Veteran for VA death benefits due to her divorce from the Veteran at the time of his death.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hip strains and a left heel disability, but the claim for a left thigh disability remains pending.

The Veteran's claim for an annual clothing allowance is being remanded due to the need for additional development and consideration of new evidence.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for a one-time payment from the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund due to lack of qualifying service.