Other conditions Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's GTS with associated OCD and dysthymia is attributable to service, granting his claim for service connection.

The VA has denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for the Veteran's pleural cavity injury secondary to a shell fragment wound and spontaneous pneumothorax, as his symptoms do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher disability rating.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected residuals of a laceration of the left index finger and any associated residual nerve damage.

The Veteran's initial disability rating for her left hip tenosynovitis has been granted at a 10 percent level, and no higher.

The Veteran's left lower extremity has lost all effective function, and the Board finds that amputation with a suitable prosthetic appliance would equally serve his needs. Therefore, SMC under the provisions of 38 C.F.R. § 3.350(a) for loss of use of the left lower extremity is granted.

The Veteran's initial rating for left (minor) shoulder and chest gunshot wound residuals with retained metal fragments and scar residuals has been granted at a 10 percent evaluation. The Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability was initially rated as noncompensable, but the November 2013 rating decision created a staged initial rating of 20 percent for the period from October 30, 2013.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of a broken nose and left foot laceration, finding that the evidence did not support a nexus to service or any presumptive conditions.

The Board found no evidence of a separate groin disability and determined that the Veteran's current groin pain is related to his already service-connected left hip disability. The appeal was denied.

The Board found that the appellant did not have qualifying service and therefore does not meet the requirements for basic eligibility to receive a one-time payment from the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund.

The Veteran's Aldie's tonic pupils do not result in a compensable loss of visual acuity, impairment of field of vision, disfigurement, or incapacitating episodes. Therefore, the criteria for a compensable rating were not met.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a lung disorder due to new and material evidence. The Veteran's claim for service connection for gonorrhea is denied as he does not have current diagnosis of this condition.

The Board has ordered additional development to obtain medical records and a VA opinion regarding the cause of the Veteran's death, specifically whether it was caused by exposure to chemicals during Desert Storm.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical evidence to determine if the Veteran's heart conditions are related to her military service.

The Board found that the appellant is not a helpless child on the basis of permanent incapacity for self-support before attaining the age of 18 years and denied his claim for VA improved death pension benefits.

The Veteran's emergency medical treatment at Shands on November 4, 2009 was deemed necessary due to a sudden and severe exacerbation of chest pain. The Board found that VA facilities were not feasibly available for the emergent condition, and thus the Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement is granted.

The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal for service connection for varicose veins, and the Board has dismissed the appeal.

The Veteran's service-connected fracture of the coccyx resulted in a 10% rating, which is the maximum schedular rating for partial or complete removal of the coccyx with painful residuals. The Board found no additional functional impairment on repetitive motion and denied an increased rating.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for both the petition to reopen the claim of service connection for stress fractures of the lower legs and feet, as well as his claim for a permanent and total disability rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for educational assistance allowance at an increased rate, otherwise known as a 'kicker', under 10 U.S.C.A. Chapter 1606 due to the Department of Defense (DoD) finding that the Veteran is not eligible for such benefits because his military occupational specialty (MOS) was not a critical skill MOS at the time of enlistment.

The Board found that the termination of the Veteran's VA nonservice-connected improved pension benefits, effective January 1, 2008, was proper due to his annualized countable income exceeding the maximum threshold for pension eligibility. The decision concluded that the award was not solely due to administrative error and both parties share responsibility for the creation of the resultant debt.