Other conditions Board decisions

The Board found that the Veteran's brain cancer did not have its clinical onset in service or within the first post-service year, and it is not otherwise related to active service. As such, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Veteran's bruxism is considered a manifestation of his service-connected PTSD and has been granted as secondary to the PTSD.

The Veteran's recurrent right ingrown toenail resulted in a painful scar on her great right toe, and the Board has determined that she is entitled to a 10 percent rating for this condition.

The Veteran's death was caused by pneumonia, which led to dehydration. The VA provided appropriate care and the cause of death is not due to negligence or error on VA's part.

The Board finds that the Veteran's bilateral cataracts are due to exposure to sunlight during service, and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied service connection for right long finger disorder and right ring finger disorder. The Veteran's chronic adjustment and dysthymic disorder with depression and anxiety was granted an initial rating of 50 percent, effective March 1, 2005.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and requests for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records from July 2007 to January 2008.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for peripheral nerve involvement of the right lower extremity with foot drop was denied. The Board found that a disability rating in excess of 40 percent is not warranted from January 23, 2008.

The Board found that the Veteran's left inguinal hernia existed before service and was not aggravated during service, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the earliest document indicating a claim for service connection was an informal claim filed by the Veteran on January 25, 2007. Therefore, the effective date for the grant of service connection for a psychotic disorder is set at this date.

The Board found that the Veteran's currently diagnosed alopecia areata was not causally or etiologically related to active service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran is challenging the validity of an overpayment of VA compensation benefits in the calculated amount of $22,645.00. The Board finds that further development is needed to determine whether the creation of this debt was proper and to calculate the correct amount.

The Veteran and the appellant were legally divorced, and the Veteran later married another woman. The appellant's status as a surviving spouse is not recognized for VA death benefits.

The Board has determined that the Appellant meets the criteria for recognition as the Veteran's surviving spouse, given her legal marriage at the time of his death and lack of intent to desert the marriage.

The Board denied the reopening of a claim for service connection for gingivitis as new and material evidence was not received, despite additional VA outpatient treatment reports being submitted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for scheduling a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at the RO.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA medical opinion to determine whether the Veteran's cause of death, including respiratory failure, pneumonia and sepsis, is related to his active duty service or another already service-connected disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for a waiver of overpayment of VA pension benefits in the amount of $18,318.00 due to fault on the part of the appellant and lack of undue financial hardship.

The appellant's father died before the enactment of the law authorizing payment from the FVEC, and thus does not meet the eligibility requirements for a one-time payment.

The appellant is not recognized as the surviving spouse of the Veteran for VA benefits due to a valid divorce prior to his death.