Other conditions decisions — 2014

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a chronic gastrointestinal disability during service or at any time after separation, and thus the claim for service connection is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected stress fecal incontinence has been granted an initial rating of 60 percent effective May 1, 2010 and increased to 60 percent effective August 1, 2012.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a right hip disability during service and the Veteran's current degenerative joint disease is not related to his military service. The claim for service connection for a right hip disability is denied.

The Board dismissed the appeal as the appellant withdrew her appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Veteran's enrollment in the IndyBar Review course through the Indianapolis Bar Association is not approved for educational assistance under Chapter 33 (Post-9/11 GI Bill) due to it being a non-college degree program and not meeting the requirements of an institution of higher learning.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues related to the validity of an overpayment of nonservice-connected pension benefits and a waiver thereof. The validity of the debt must be adjudicated first before deciding on the waiver claim.

The Veteran's widow is seeking a Board hearing on his claim for service connection for malignant thymoma. The case has been remanded due to the need for a Travel Board hearing at the St. Petersburg, Florida RO.

The Veteran died of aplastic anemia due to nosocomial pneumonia. There is no evidence that any service-connected disability contributed to his death, and there is no evidence linking the cause of death to service or a service-connected condition.

The Board finds that the Veteran's right leg/knee disability is related to his service, and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for hallux valgus with marked exostoses in both feet have been remanded due to the failure of the Veteran to report for a VA examination scheduled in August 2011.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current disability of bone loss on the right side of his cheek, and thus service connection cannot be granted for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case for a videoconference hearing before the Board. The Veteran's appeal is to determine if new and material evidence has been received to reopen his service connection claim for a bilateral hip disorder, which may be secondary to a service-connected right knee disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death, Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), is as likely as not due to his presumed exposure to herbicides during service. As a result, the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is granted.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal of the denial for Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits for on-the-job training at the SSA facility in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

The Board found that the Veteran's cause of death, HIV/AIDS, was not caused by or a result of his service-connected PTSD. The Board concluded that there is no evidence to support a causal relationship between the Veteran's service-connected conditions and his death.

The Board has granted an initial 30 percent rating for the Veteran's service-connected dyshidrosis, effective from January 29, 2004. The evidence shows that during flare-ups, up to 21% of the exposed areas are affected by dyshidrosis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left temporal glioblastoma multiforme is related to his presumed exposure to Agent Orange during service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected lumbar spine disability and claims for service connection for neural deficiencies in the lower extremities were denied. The Veteran was also found not to meet criteria for TDIU.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's spinal stenosis is not related to his military service and has denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's urticaria and angioedema have not been productive of recurrent episodes occurring at least four times during a 12-month period, and they do not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating.