Other conditions Board decisions

The VA has confirmed and maintained a 50% rating for the service-connected dysthymic disorder, reflecting current symptoms of depression and sleep disturbance.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA) has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for multiple myeloma, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his in-service exposure to toxins and his current condition. The preponderance of medical evidence does not support the veteran's contention.

The Board found that the veteran's death due to motoneuron disease was not caused by a service-connected condition, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of his death.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, benefits awarded but unpaid, and accrued benefits due to her marital status and lack of evidence supporting her eligibility as a helpless child.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for his service-connected right eye injury was granted effective November 1, 2000.

The veteran's left tibia and fibula fractures have been rated at 20% since September 2, 1964. Since September 26, 1996, the condition has been rated at 30%. The effective date for the higher rating is September 26, 2001.

The veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred from March 1 to March 10, 1994 was denied because he had no service-connected disabilities and VA did not authorize the care provided at St. Luke Hospital, East.

The Board has granted an increased evaluation of 50 percent for the veteran's service-connected right knee disability, effective from December 1995.

The veteran's claim for exemption from medication copayments for a nonservice-connected disability was denied because his income exceeded the maximum annual rate of pension in 2000, 2001, and 2002. He is not eligible for an exemption due to his service-connected disability rated at 20 percent.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for an increased evaluation for his service-connected left eye corneal opacity with light perception only and service connection for a right eye condition secondary to his service-connected left eye condition.

The Board found no credible evidence to support the veteran's claim that he suffered a head and neck injury in service, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The Board has granted an increased rating to 20 percent for the veteran's right tibia and fibula fracture residuals, which approximates malunion with moderate ankle and knee disability.

The Board has remanded the case for further development regarding whether it was medically infeasible for the veteran to initiate or continue participation in a Chapter 31 training program prior to October 22, 1994.

The Board found that the overpayment of improved disability pension benefits was properly created due to the veteran's failure to report his spouse's income from cashed life insurance and interest, which contributed to the creation of the debt. The decision also denied the waiver of recovery of the overpayment.

The Board has determined that the veteran's herpes zoster of the eye was caused by exposure to a nurse at the VA Medical Center who did not wear gloves, resulting in an infection. The claim is granted.

The VA denied a rating in excess of 40 percent for the veteran's varicose veins of the right leg, as his condition did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation under both old and new criteria.

The VA determined that the appellant's left middle finger scar is a 10 percent disabling condition, considering it well-healed and nontender but with continued episodic discomfort. The decision grants a rating of 10% for this condition.

The Board finds that the veteran's cognitive deficits are due to undiagnosed illness and service in the Persian Gulf War, with no organic cause found.

The Board has granted the waiver of overpayment of education benefits in the amount of $2373.91, finding that recovery would be against equity and good conscience due to fault on both the part of the veteran and VA.

The Board has granted service connection for atypical facial neuralgia along the superior alveolar nerve, finding that the symptoms began in service and have continued since then.