Other conditions Board decisions

The veteran's claim for VA educational assistance benefits under either Chapter 30 or Chapter 32 was denied as he did not meet the eligibility criteria for these programs.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected right leg scar and bilateral defective hearing are denied. The RO is directed to complete further development as outlined in the remand instructions before adjudicating these issues again.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for service connection for squamous cell carcinoma of the mouth, finding that there was no evidence linking his current disability to his military service or presumed exposure to herbicides.

The Board has granted a 30 percent rating for the service-connected loss of feeling to the right lower lip due to nerve damage, effective as of March 26, 1999.

The veteran is rated permanently and totally disabled for pension purposes, with a combined non-service-connected evaluation of 90 percent. He requires the aid and attendance of another person due to his leg fractures and other disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for a retroactive monthly payment of $2969, stating that the rates of compensation benefits are set by Congress and cannot be changed.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining private medical records and a new VA examination to determine if any current foot disorders are related to exposure to cold weather in service.

The Board has determined that service connection is not warranted for the cause of the veteran's death. The case is being remanded to comply with VA's duty to notify and assist the claimant under the Veterans Claims Assistance Act (VCAA).

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining an accounting of the overpayment debt and verifying the notice provided to the veteran. The VBA AMC must ensure all requested development is completed before readjudicating the claim.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a traumatic right leg injury.

The Board found that the appellant's income exceeded the statutory limit for death pension benefits, and thus terminated her improved death pension effective October 1, 1998.

The veteran's request for a waiver of an overpayment of non-service-connected pension benefits was denied by the Committee on Waivers and Compromises (COWC) due to his failure to submit a timely request. The case is being remanded to locate missing documents related to the creation of the debt.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current 'L' shaped scar posterior to the left medial malleolus is related to service, specifically a shrapnel wound sustained during combat in Vietnam. The claim for service connection is granted.

The Board found that the veteran's tumor of the pituitary gland did not meet the criteria for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent, as there was no evidence showing moderately severe hypopituitarism or specific manifestations required for a higher evaluation.

The VA determined that the veteran does not have dysthymia that is related to his military service.

The veteran is seeking a specific evaluation for PTSD, which was previously granted with a 10% rating effective from May 31, 1996. The case has been remanded to obtain additional medical records and determine the appropriate evaluation.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the veteran's death and denied eligibility for Dependent's Educational Assistance. The appellant argued that her child should be eligible due to secondary service-connected conditions, but the Board found no evidence linking the veteran's death to any in-service symptomatology or pathology.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for DIC due to blindness caused by bilateral occipital lobe infarcts, finding that there was no evidence showing a direct causal link between the veteran's blindness and his death. The Board also found that VA treatment in November 1997 did not cause or contribute to the veteran's death.

The Board has determined that the veteran's spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis of the lumbosacral spine were incurred in active military service.