Other conditions Board decisions

The appellant is entitled to recognition as the veteran's surviving spouse for the purpose of reinstating Department of Veterans Affairs death pension benefits.

The Board denied service connection for organic brain syndrome, but granted initial ratings of 10% for headaches and adjustment disorder.

The Board found no competent medical evidence linking the veteran's lipomas to exposure to ionizing radiation, toxic chemicals, or asbestos during service. Therefore, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a gastrointestinal disorder and bilateral varicose veins, finding that there was no well-grounded evidence to support these claims.

The Board has granted a 50% rating for the service-connected compound comminuted fracture of the left mandible, effective from September 26, 1991. The claim for bilateral eye disability was not well-grounded.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to evaluate the veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to his service-connected disabilities, including obtaining medical records and conducting examinations.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a stomach disorder, to include peptic ulcer disease is denied as the evidence does not establish a link between the current disability and service.

The Board denied an increased evaluation for the veteran's service-connected residuals of orchitis of the left testicle, but granted SMC effective October 19, 1993, based on loss of use of a creative organ. The decision did not address whether there was complete atrophy of both testicles.

The veteran has withdrawn his appeal regarding an increased rating for postoperative residuals of a fracture of the right radial head.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his left thumb disorder due to his failure to appear for a scheduled VA examination without good cause shown.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for carcinoma of the colon and rectum, finding no evidence linking his condition to his military service or any incident therein.

The veteran died of a nonservice-connected cause while not in receipt of VA benefits. The claim for burial and interment allowance is denied as the veteran did not meet the criteria for such benefits.

The veteran's countable annual income is in excess of the maximum amount allowable for payment of pension benefits, and therefore his claim for improved disability pension has been denied.

The Board granted service connection for a mood disorder secondary to head injury and assigned a 10 percent schedular rating, effective from October 24, 1988. The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date was denied, as the claim was received within one year of his separation from active duty. The initial evaluation for the service-connected mood disorder is 10 percent.

The Board denied the appellant's request for a waiver of recovery of an overpayment of $17,158 in pension benefits due to her bad faith in submitting EVR forms that concealed her income.

The veteran's father is denied financial assistance in purchasing an automobile or other conveyance, acquiring specially adapted housing, and receiving an annual clothing allowance for the purpose of accrued benefits due to lack of application prior to the veteran's death.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claims for service connection are well-grounded and have granted them. The veteran is entitled to service connection for PTSD based on his Gulf War experiences, but the specific diagnosis of arthralgia due to an undiagnosed illness remains unclear.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a left hip/pelvis injury as not well grounded, due to lack of medical evidence linking current disability to service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for the cause of his death and eligibility for dependents' educational assistance under Chapter 35 due to a lack of competent medical evidence linking the cause of death to military service or any incident therein.

The Board denied an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for the veteran's sacrum/coccyx injury, finding that it was productive of disablement compatible with not more than characteristic pain on motion.