Other conditions Board decisions

The Board found that the appellant and the veteran were not legally married at the time of the veteran's death, and thus she is not entitled to recognition as his surviving spouse for VA benefits.

The VA determined that the veteran's perirectal abscess does not warrant a rating in excess of 30 percent, and did not meet the criteria for a temporary total disability rating.

The Board granted service connection for Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) with splenomegaly and anemia, but denied the claim of service connection for a claimed innocently acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has determined that the veteran's cataracts are not caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and thus denied the claim for secondary service connection.

The Board determined that the veteran's sebaceous cyst disorder has remained stable and does not warrant an increased evaluation beyond the current 10 percent rating.

The Board has determined that the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of her husband's death is granted, effective from February 3, 1994. This decision was based on the liberalizing VA regulations which provide presumptive service connection for Hodgkin's disease for Vietnam era veterans who served in the Republic of Vietnam.

The Board found that accrued benefits were not payable for the additional compensation not paid to the veteran for his spouse from October 1, 1978 to July 1, 1998 due to lack of proof of marriage.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for dental disability, finding that his disabilities were not incurred or aggravated by service and are not related to any service-connected conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right elbow and wrist conditions, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a disability rating in excess of 30 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for traumatic degenerative joint disease of the left great toe and residuals of a shell fragment wound to the left leg, finding that the evidence did not support higher disability ratings based on current symptoms or functional impairment.

The Board denied the veteran's request for a waiver of overpayment of nonservice-connected disability pension benefits, finding that he was at fault in creating the overpayment and applying principles of equity and good conscience did not warrant a waiver.

The Board has determined that the veteran meets the criteria for special monthly compensation based on the loss of use of both lower extremities and financial assistance in the purchase of an automobile or other conveyance and/or adaptive equipment for an automobile.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the appellant is the last-named beneficiary of the veteran's NSLI policies and is therefore entitled to all proceeds.

The Board has denied an increased rating for the veteran's service-connected bilateral cataracts, finding that a rating higher than 30 percent is not warranted at any time during the appeal period.

The Board found that the appellant's service-connected traumatic arthritis of the left forearm does not warrant a higher disability rating, as his symptoms do not meet or approximate the criteria for a disability rating in excess of 20 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for somatoform pain disorder, concluding that it was not incurred in or aggravated during his period of active military service and is not etiologically related to conditions diagnosed and treated in service.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the award of nonservice-connected pension benefits with special monthly pension based on the need for aid and attendance, finding that the application was filed more than one year after the date of disability onset.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that his gastrointestinal and cardiovascular disorders were not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board denied increased ratings for the veteran's service-connected right and left knee disabilities, as well as a request for an earlier effective date for the award of a compensable evaluation for his service-connected left knee disability.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for VA benefits due to a lack of recognized service, thus denying basic eligibility.