Other conditions decisions — 2013

The VA determined that the appellant did not have qualifying service to be eligible for the one-time payment from the FVEC Fund, and thus denied his claim.

The Board has determined that the appellant does not have qualified service to be eligible for a one-time payment from the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's narcolepsy was diagnosed during military service and has been chronic since then, granting service connection for narcolepsy.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for severe anoxic encephalopathy status post cardiopulmonary arrest, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability related to his active duty service.

The Board finds that the appellant's arthritis and fibroid tumors were not incurred or aggravated during her periods of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) or inactive duty for training (INACDUTRA). As a result, service connection is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's Alzheimer's disease and medication to treat it contributed substantially and materially to causing his death, which occurred due to a fall in January 2000 resulting from head trauma.

The Board found that the Veteran's death was due to his own willful misconduct, and therefore denied DIC for his daughter.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the impact of his shrapnel wound on his employability.

The Board found that the Veteran's current eye disabilities, including refractive error and cataracts, are not related to his active service.

The Board found that the appellant and the Veteran were not married at the time of the Veteran's death, based on evidence indicating they had been divorced prior to his death. The claim for recognition as the surviving spouse is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hammer toes are attributable to service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board found that the Veteran's residuals of a fracture of the right tibia did not meet or approximate criteria for a higher rating, and thus denied his claim for an increased evaluation.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral cataracts do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating based on visual acuity impairment. His current noncompensable (0%) disability rating is maintained.

The Veteran's income exceeded the prescribed limits for nonservice-connected disability pension benefits in 2007, 2008, and 2009. The claim for 2010 is pending as additional information regarding dependents was requested.

The Board has determined that the appellant did not have qualifying service and therefore is not a veteran for purposes of receiving compensation from the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development to address whether a preexisting left eye cornea scar was aggravated by service, specifically an in-service injury.

The Veteran's currently diagnosed respiratory disorder was first identified many years after service and is not shown to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for a new VA examination to evaluate the current severity of her hammertoes. The case will be readjudicated after the examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left and right hand disabilities, including reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome (RSDS) and/or complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), began during service and have continued since. As such, the appeal for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for a neurologic disability of the lower extremities was denied as there is no medical evidence of such a condition. The RO found that his diabetes mellitus and PTSD do not result in any current neurological disabilities of the lower extremities.