Other conditions Board decisions

The Board determined that the appellant was not recognized as the Veteran's surviving spouse for VA death benefits eligibility purposes due to a lack of evidence supporting a valid common law marriage.

The VA denied the appellant's claim for service connection for cardiomyopathy with congestive heart failure, concluding that there is no evidence of such condition during his active duty or within one year after separation. The examiner found no current evidence to support a link between the appellant's current heart condition and his military service.

The Veteran's request for a second extension of his Chapter 30 educational benefits beyond May 29, 2007 was denied. The Board found that the Veteran had not been prevented from initiating or completing an educational program due to a physical or mental disability during the relevant period.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA medical records and providing a VA medical opinion to clarify the nature and etiology of his claimed respiratory disorder (other than chronic cough with rhinitis), to include obstructive sleep apnea. The AOJ will also consider whether service connection is warranted on a direct basis as well as secondary to service-connected chronic cough and rhinitis.

The Veteran's mental disorder is currently rated at 30 percent, and the evidence does not support a higher rating based on his symptoms.

The Veteran's right hand injuries sustained in a jeep accident during service are considered related to his active duty.,There is no evidence of current left hand disability or its relation to service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining a medical opinion regarding the relationship between his current right shoulder disability and service-connected residuals of a shell fragment wound to the right shoulder involving Muscle Group I.

The Board has reopened the claim of entitlement to service connection for metastatic cancer of the neck and head with an unknown primary site. The case is remanded for additional development as requested.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a hearing before a Board member at the RO.

The Veteran's right leg mononeuropathy and septic infection were common complications of surgery, not due to VA negligence or lack of proper skill.

The Veteran's appeal for special monthly pension was dismissed as the matter has been fully granted and there are no allegations of errors of fact or law remaining to be considered.

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for a skin disability as due to herbicide exposure, specifically Agent Orange exposure. The Veteran's request for a hearing before the Board is pending.

The Board determined that recovery of the overpayment was not against equity and good conscience, upholding the Committee's decision.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis was granted on an accrued benefits basis, effective September 23, 2008. The Board found that the appellant is not entitled to an earlier effective date.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have Guillain-Barré Syndrome that had its onset in or is otherwise related to active service. As a result, the claim for service connection for Guillain-Barré Syndrome must be denied.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the death of the appellant, as it does not have jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this case.

The Veteran does not have a currently diagnosed disability related to his in-service right hand injury or head/face trauma. His claims for service connection are denied.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for a compensable evaluation for leukopenia and secondary anemia.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a chronic skin disability, claimed as secondary to herbicide exposure, was denied. The Veteran's PTSD claim for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent was also denied.

The Board denied the Appellant's claim for a one-time payment from the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund due to lack of service in the United States Armed Forces.