Other conditions Board decisions

The veteran's claims for an increased rating for his thoracic spine disability and a TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination.

The Board has determined that the submitted evidence does not bear directly and substantially upon the issue of service connection for body stiffness, to include as secondary to service-connected paranoid schizophrenia. The claim is therefore not reopened.

The Board is remanding the case to the RO for consideration of new evidence and a readjudication of whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for a skin condition, variously diagnosed.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the veteran does not have Bell's palsy or any disabling residuals thereof, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's application to reopen his claim for service connection for orchiectomy, residuals of undescended testicle due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the veteran's death in October 2001.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the claim of service connection for residuals of radiation exposure. The veteran's previous claims were denied due to lack of evidence supporting his assertions of radiation exposure during service.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected fracture of the proximal phalanx, right ring finger with flexor tendon reconstruction (major), finding that he is already receiving the maximum schedular rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for service connection for missing front teeth, claimed as due to dental trauma (for treatment purposes), is denied. The issue of service connection for the residuals of frozen or trench feet remains pending.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for damaged teeth, finding that there was no evidence of a dental injury or disease during service and concluding that any current condition is not related to service.

The Board has determined that the veteran is competent to manage her own financial affairs for VA purposes.

The Board denied the veteran's request for a waiver of recovery of an overpayment of nonservice-connected disability pension benefits, finding that recovery was not against the principles of equity and good conscience.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a right hand laceration, finding no current disability and no evidence linking any present condition to service.

The Board found that there was no legal basis to grant an effective date earlier than October 9, 2001 for the award of service-connected cause of death benefits due to the claim not being received within one year of the veteran's death.

The veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 is being remanded due to the need for further examination regarding potential negligence or fault on the part of VA treatment providers in prescribing medications that led to his atrial fibrillation. Additionally, the case is being referred back to the RO for a Statement of the Case addressing whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen service connection claims.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for a total rating based on unemployability due to service-connected disabilities because he declined to undergo necessary VA examinations and maintained substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied the claim for an earlier effective date for a combined 100% rating for service-connected erythema multiforme, finding that there was no evidence of increased severity within the year preceding June 13, 1996.

The Board denied the veteran's request to waive recovery of an overpayment of $10,989 in VA pension benefits due to his failure to report income sources. The decision found that the veteran had a history of inaccurate reporting and was at fault for creating the overpayment.

The veteran's right femoral nerve entrapment was present during service and is granted as service-connected. The dental trauma claim is not addressed in the decision.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including additional evaluations and tests to determine if the appellant has left ventricular dysfunction and the measurement of ejection fraction.