Other conditions Board decisions

The Board found that the veteran's spouse is not in need of regular aid and attendance or housebound, as she can perform daily activities independently.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for further development due to additional evidence received by the appellant.

The Board found that the appellant's hand disabilities, including fractures and traumatic arthritis, do not warrant a disability evaluation in excess of 10 percent.

The Board finds that the reduction in the veteran's disability evaluation from 40% to 30% was proper, and denies his claim for an increased evaluation of his right eye disorder.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of gall bladder surgery as there was no evidence to support that the surgery occurred during his active duty or a period of active duty training.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected conditions did not cause or contribute to his death from a dissecting aortic aneurism.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current chronic hip disorder separate and distinct from his service-connected fibromyalgia, thus denying service connection for right and left hip disorders.

The veteran's claim for eligibility to VA educational assistance benefits under Chapter 30, Title 38, United States Code was denied because he did not meet the criteria for converting his VEAP/Chapter 32 benefits to Chapter 30 benefits. The Board found that he was not a participant in VEAP/Chapter 32 on October 9, 1996 and did not satisfy other eligibility requirements.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VCAA notice and is requesting additional development.

The Board has determined that further development is needed before a decision can be rendered on the veteran's claim for service connection for head injury residuals.

The Board found that the veteran does not have a current lung disability and there is no evidence linking his injury to service. Therefore, the claim for service connection was denied.

The veteran's arthritis of the left mid foot and toes, as well as his right hand arthritis, are found to be related to service-connected disabilities. The VA has granted increased ratings for these conditions.

The Board found that the veteran's estate was too large to justify continued payment of improved nonservice-connected pension benefits, and thus terminated his benefits effective May 1, 2000.

The Board denied an increased rating for cholecystitis and cholelithiasis, status post cholecystectomy, finding that the symptoms were mild dyspepsia and constipation, which more nearly approximated a 10 percent disability rating.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected traumatic scoliosis with arthritis was granted, and he is now rated at 40 percent.

The veteran died of vascular collapse due to arteriosclerotic heart and vascular disease. The VA determined that the appellant does not meet the income requirement for improved death pension benefits or is eligible for burial benefits.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination. The veteran's claim will be reconsidered after these steps are completed.

The veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disability and headaches are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining inpatient treatment records from Knox Hospital in Rockland, Maine.

The Board is considering whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a head injury, including psychiatric disability. If reopened, the Board will then decide if service connection should be granted for these conditions. The second issue is whether the veteran is entitled to treatment under 38 U.S.C. § 1702 based on his psychosis.

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