Other conditions Board decisions

The Board has determined that a noncompensable disability evaluation is appropriate for the veteran's residuals of a fracture of the right fifth finger.

The Board has granted a 10 percent evaluation for the veteran's service-connected left fourth toe disability, effective from December 21, 1991.

The veteran's service with the Philippine Army is not considered active military service for VA pension benefits, and thus he does not qualify for initial eligibility for nonservice-connected pension benefits.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his bilateral inguinal hernias, finding that there was no basis to grant a higher rating than 10 percent for the left inguinal hernia and that the right inguinal hernia did not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation.

The veteran's service as a Philippine Scout is not considered active military service for VA pension purposes, and the appellant did not file a claim within one year of her husband's death. Therefore, both claims for non-service-connected death pension benefits and accrued benefits are denied.

The Board denied service connection for loss of teeth and a skin disorder of the hands and feet, finding that the claims were not well-grounded.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining additional service medical records and conducting a VA examination to assess the extent of his burn disabilities. The issue of entitlement to higher disability ratings for his service-connected hand burns is also pending.

The Board denied the appellant's request to reopen her forfeiture of VA benefits, finding that no new and material evidence had been submitted.

The veteran's failure to report his spouse's income did not result from fraud, misrepresentation or bad faith. The Board found that the veteran was unaware of his responsibility to report changes in his family's income and concluded that this does not preclude waiver of recovery of the overpayment.

The VA denied the appellant's claim for basic eligibility to VA death benefits because her spouse did not have recognized service in the U.S. Armed Forces, as certified by the United States Army Reserve Personnel Center.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for service connection for squamous cell carcinoma of the left mandibular trigone, finding that there is no positive association between exposure to herbicides and this condition. The Board concluded that direct service connection cannot be granted because the evidence does not establish a causal relationship with his active service.

The Board denied the veteran's request for an extension of her delimiting date for educational benefits under Chapter 30, Title 38, United States Code beyond March 21, 2000. The decision stated that the appellant did not meet the criteria for an extended period of eligibility due to a disability preventing her from commencing or completing school.

The Board denied reopening of claims for service connection for a stomach disorder, scabies, and a foot disorder. The claim for nonservice-connected disability pension was also denied.

The veteran's appeal is remanded due to incomplete medical records and the need for a VA examination. The case will be reviewed again after these issues are addressed.

The Board denied the appellant's request for waiver of overpayment in VA pension benefits due to his failure to report income from rental property, finding that he acted in bad faith.

The Board found that the veteran's failure to report accurately his expected medical expenses for 1999 resulted in an overpayment of $945. The Committee denied his request for waiver of this overpayment, finding fault on the part of the veteran and no undue financial hardship.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a back injury, citing insufficient evidence to establish a link between his current disability and his military service.

The Board denied the appellant's claim of eligibility for VA non-service-connected disability pension benefits, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the claim.

The veteran's request for waiver of recovery of loan guaranty indebtedness in the original calculated amount of $27,800.00 plus interest was denied because it was not timely filed.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased evaluation for his gunshot wound to the left thigh and service connection for hepatitis C, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating or service connection.