Other conditions decisions — 2012

The Board has determined that the Veteran's income did not exceed the limits for VA pension benefits, and thus grants the appellant's claim for accrued benefits.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his service-connected left eye injury was denied as the current assigned 30 percent rating is the maximum available under applicable criteria.

The Board has determined that the appellant does not have service as a member of the Philippine Commonwealth Army, including recognized guerrillas in the service of the United States Armed Forces. Therefore, he is denied legal entitlement to one-time payment from the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund.

The Board has determined that the Appellant is not recognized as the surviving spouse of the Veteran for the purpose of establishing eligibility for death benefits administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The Board has granted a waiver of recovery for the overpayment of nonservice-connected pension benefits in the amount of $5,440.00 due to financial hardship and undue hardship.

The Board has granted service connection for nonspecific dermatitis associated with keratosis pilaris, chronic epistaxis, and olecranon bursitis with impingement syndrome of the left elbow. The Veteran's current conditions are found to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a chronic lower extremity circulatory disorder to include deep venous thrombosis is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining information about his periods of active duty and inactive duty training. The VA will also schedule an examination to address whether in-service groin pain could have been the onset of his DVT.

The Veteran's service-connected defective vision of the left eye is currently rated at 30 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available under VA regulations. The claim for an increased rating is denied.

The Veteran's pulmonary disability is being remanded for further development, including consideration of his claim for coronary artery disease due to herbicide exposure. The issue of service connection for a pulmonary disability will be reconsidered in light of the new evidence and any additional development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a chronic left foot disability that is causally related to his active service and therefore denied the claim for service connection.

The VA determined that the Veteran's current heart disorder is not related to his active duty service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran is entitled to a full reimbursement of $125.00 for the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) Certified Personal Trainer Examination he took in July 2006, as the maximum amount payable at that time was insufficiently documented.

The Veteran died from metastatic cancer of the floor of his mouth, which was not shown to be related to service or any service-connected condition. The Board found no evidence linking the cause of death to herbicide exposure during service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA examination and consideration of all evidence added to the claims file since the last decision.

The Veteran's service-connected right elbow disability did not meet the criteria for a higher initial rating in excess of 10 percent, as her range of motion was within normal limits and she did not experience symptoms that would warrant a higher evaluation.

The VA determined that the Veteran's current condition, including recurrent hernia and granulomatous scar tissue, was not caused by or aggravated by carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment, or similar instance of fault by VA during his 1980 right inguinal herniorrhaphy.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine if the Veteran was exposed to ionizing radiation during service, which could potentially allow for a grant of service connection for breast cancer. The claim for osteoporosis secondary to breast cancer will also be remanded.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the Veteran's claims, including obtaining medical records and arranging for a VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the etiology of his sexual impotence condition, including whether it is related to his service-connected Crohn's Disease with ileostomy and/or chronic adjustment disorder.

The Board determined that the Veteran's post-operative residuals of left ulnar nerve entrapment did not warrant a rating in excess of 20 percent, as his symptoms did not meet the criteria for more severe disability ratings.