Other conditions decisions — 2015

Throughout the appeal period, the Veteran did not have a recurrent hernia on either side. The Board finds that his service-connected post-operative bilateral hernia repairs with chronic pain syndrome do not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 7338.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as the appellant withdrew his appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Veteran's service-connected mitral valve prolapse with a history of paroxysmal tachycardia was found to not warrant an evaluation in excess of 10 percent prior to October 9, 2014 and from October 9, 2014 to the present.

The Veteran's left scrotal area disability and related surgical scars are currently rated at 10 percent, but the evidence does not support a higher evaluation.

The Veteran's claims of entitlement to increased ratings for bowel and bladder dysfunctions associated with his service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine have been denied. The current evaluations are found to be adequate.

The Board found clear and unmistakable evidence that the Veteran's pre-existing bilateral hand tremors were not aggravated by his military service, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's death from pancreatic cancer was not caused by a service-connected disability, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the case due to the unavailability of service treatment records and the need for an examination to determine the nature, extent, and etiology of any vascular disease or nerve damage.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for his right L5-S1 microdiscectomy with resection of the herniated disc has been withdrawn.

The Board has dismissed the appeals due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the Veteran's death, and no jurisdiction remains for adjudicating the merits of this case.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for retroactive educational benefits under Chapter 1606, Title 10 of the United States Code (also known as the Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserves (MGIB-SR)) because his application was not filed within a year of taking one of the required tests.

The Veteran's service-connected pancreatitis is found to render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment, meeting the criteria for a TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected bilateral shoulder disabilities.

The Board denied the Appellant's claim as she does not meet the legal criteria to establish status as the Veteran's surviving spouse for purposes of VA death pension benefits.

The Veteran's appeal for an educational assistance benefit level higher than 40 percent under the Post-9/11 GI Bill was denied as his service did not qualify him for this level of benefits.

The Veteran's claims for a compensable rating prior to May 22, 2013 for left foot hallux valgus and a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for traumatic arthritis of the left great toe were denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of squamous cell carcinoma of left tonsillar fossa, to include as due to herbicide exposure, is denied. The VA examiner found that the cancer was not related to his military service or presumed herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for right retropatellar pain syndrome was granted prior to December 14, 2006 and from May 28, 2009.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hand disorder is not related to his service and denied his claim for service connection.