Other conditions Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have service connection for peripheral vascular disease, an aortic aneurysm, or leukemia due to lack of evidence showing such conditions were incurred in service. The appeal is denied.

The Veteran's skin disabilities are being remanded for further examination and opinion regarding their etiology, including whether they are related to his service in Vietnam and exposure to herbicides.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current symptoms, including ear pain and dizziness, are not related to his service-connected left otitis media and Eustachian tube dysfunction. As a result, he is not entitled to an initial compensable disability rating for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic bilateral otitis externa was denied as there is no current disability associated with the condition.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal for vocational rehabilitation benefits, and the Board is dismissing this issue.

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain an addendum opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected atopic dermatitis, psoriatic type, aggravated his pre-existing ankylosing spondylitis and ulcerative colitis.

The Veteran's right hip disability was productive of marked hip disability from May 1, 1986 to May 31, 1989. From June 1, 1989 to February 26, 1997, the disability was rated at 10 percent disabling; and from February 27, 1997 to August 1, 2005, it was rated at 30 percent. As of August 1, 2005, a 50 percent rating was assigned for her right hip disability. The Veteran also received a TDIU effective December 31, 2003.

The Board has remanded the case for compliance with the terms of the memorandum decision, including obtaining a retrospective medical opinion to determine if the appellant required regular aid and attendance prior to June 2009.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's prostatitis, hypertensive vascular disease, and respiratory disorder (shortness of breath and obstructive sleep apnea) are not service-connected.,Specifically, the VA examiners found no direct link between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.

The Board denied a compensable evaluation for the Veteran's service-connected sterility, finding that there were no symptoms related to his service-connected condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining records from Blanchard Valley Hospital and providing an opinion on the relationship between his service-connected condition and any new gastrointestinal symptoms.

The Veteran's aortic regurgitation with left ventricular hypertrophy is rated at 30 percent, and the Board finds that this rating adequately reflects his disability picture.

The Veteran's status-post right third finger fracture with limitation of motion is rated at 10 percent since October 26, 2009.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for schizoaffective disorder and left hand disability, finding no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his active service. The claim for nonservice-connected pension benefits was also denied as there was insufficient evidence to establish eligibility.

The Board found that the Veteran's current right lung disability is not causally related to his active duty service and denied his claim for service connection.

For the initial rating period from August 27, 2007 to May 10, 2012, the Veteran's lumbar spine disability was manifested by forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine at least 30 degrees and incapacitating episodes having a duration of at least 6 weeks during a 12-month period. The Veteran is granted an initial rating of 40 percent for this period.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a new VA examination to assess the severity of his traumatic brain disease. The issue of TDIU will also be addressed.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date of June 16, 1990 for the award of a TDIU rating is denied as his claim was not timely filed and has become final.

The Board found that the Veteran was not at fault in creating the overpayment and denied his request for a waiver of overpayment, as recovery would not be against equity and good conscience.

The Veteran's unspecified mood disorder has been granted a 50 percent evaluation, effective from the date of the decision. The issue regarding TDIU remains unresolved.