Other conditions Board decisions

The Board granted a 20 percent evaluation for the veteran's service-connected umbilical hernia repair with rectus diastasis, effective September 16, 2004.

The Board has determined that the appellant's income is excessive for VA improved death pension benefits and has remanded the case to the RO for further action.

The Board found no evidence to support the veteran's claims for service connection for a stomach disorder, residuals of a shrapnel wound to the leg, residuals of a back injury, or skin rashes. The current conditions were not shown to be related to his military service.

The veteran's disability rating for his gunshot wound of the right chest, status post pneumothorax with retained metallic fragment is increased to 100 percent.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the award of Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) benefits, finding that October 29, 2004 is the appropriate effective date based on the date of receipt of the formal application.

The veteran's daughter, M.J.L., is in active service as a midshipman candidate at a federally supported school (NAPS) and wholly supported by the Federal Government. The Board denied additional compensation for her attendance at NAPS.

The Board has determined that the veteran's gout is service-connected, as it was found to be a direct result of his in-service foot pain.

The Board found no evidence of a respiratory disorder during service and denied the veteran's claim for service connection.

The veteran's alcoholism and polysubstance abuse were not incurred in the line of duty, and therefore service connection is denied.

The veteran's appeal for an initial compensable disability rating for residuals of right ear tympanic membrane perforation is denied. The claim for a 10 percent disability rating based on multiple, noncompensable service-connected disabilities under the provisions of 38 C.F.R. § 3.324 is also denied.

The veteran's request for retroactive payment of educational assistance benefits for coursework at University of Maryland University College (UMUC Asia) from August 2003 to May 2004 was denied as her application was received more than one year after the coursework began.

The Board found that the veteran's multiple myeloma and compression fractures at T-7, T-10 and L-5 were not incurred or aggravated during his active duty service. The decision concluded that these conditions are best characterized as a direct result of his INACDUTRA period in August 2004.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that the underlying condition (CML) could not be presumed to have been caused by exposure to herbicides in service and was not otherwise related to service.

The veteran's estate was deemed sufficient to cover his living expenses, thus denying him a nonservice-connected pension for the specified period.

The Board denied the appellant's claim as she is not recognized as the veteran's surviving spouse for VA benefits due to her divorce and remarriage.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for the cause of his death and former POW status, finding insufficient evidence to support these claims.

The veteran died of pneumonia, which was not service-connected. The appellant is only eligible for the nonservice-connected burial allowance amount.

The veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses associated with private hospital treatment provided on February 25, 2005 is being remanded due to the need for a VA medical opinion regarding whether the veteran's condition required urgent care.

The Board has determined that the veteran's squamous cell carcinoma of the face, including as secondary to herbicide exposure, is related to active service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues related to reopening a previously denied claim for gastrointestinal disability and notifying the veteran of his rights under the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000.