Other conditions Board decisions

The Board has determined that the appellant does not have qualifying service with the United States Armed Forces and therefore is not a 'veteran' for purposes of VA disability benefits. As such, his claim to establish basic eligibility for VA benefits remains denied.

The veteran's daughter, who was stillborn with spina bifida, is not eligible for VA compensation under the provisions of 38 U.S.C.A. § 1805 (West 2002) because she died before October 1, 1997.

The Board has determined that the appellant's net worth is a bar to VA death pension benefits, and thus denied her claim.

The appellant has withdrawn her appeal regarding the termination of death pension benefits effective May 1, 2006 due to household income. As a result, the Board dismissed the appeal.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current respiratory disability is not related to his military service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's claim for reimbursement of treatment-related transportation expenses incurred on December 5, 2004 was denied because his income exceeded the maximum annual pension rate (MAPR) and he did not meet the criteria to be considered unable to defray the costs.

The veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred on July 11, 2004 was denied as the claim was not received within 90 days after discharge from the private hospital.

The case is being returned to the RO for scheduling a Travel Board hearing at the Columbia, South Carolina Regional Office.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development of his claims, including obtaining medical records from various VA facilities and a private hospital. The case will be reviewed again after the additional development.

The veteran withdrew her appeal before the Board could make a decision.

The veteran's claims for SMC based on the need for aid and attendance or loss of use due to deafness were denied as a result of his failure to report for scheduled VA examinations.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased evaluation and TDIU based on his service-connected left foot condition, finding that the current rating of 20 percent was appropriate given the aggravation of a pre-existing disability.

The Board previously denied the veteran's claim for service connection for cause of death and entitlement to Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA). The case is being remanded due to a need for additional medical opinions regarding the potential link between Agent Orange exposure and the veteran's terminal cancer.

The veteran did not have a service-connected disability rated as totally disabling for at least 10 years immediately preceding his death, thus the claim for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 is denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating for his service-connected left spermatocele and service connection of a right spermatocele as secondary to the left spermatocele, due to the veteran's failure to report for scheduled VA examinations. The claim for service connection of a low back disability was also denied.

The detached retina of the veteran's left eye is not considered to be a result of VA cataract surgery, as it was a reasonably foreseeable complication. The claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 has been denied.

The Board found that the veteran's missing teeth are not due to dental trauma during service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board found no evidence linking the veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder to his military service and denied his claim.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of a left hand injury, finding that the veteran's lay statements concerning his in-service injury are credible and linking the current left hand condition to the in-service injury.

The Board has determined that there is no substantive appeal filed regarding the waiver of recovery of overpayments of VA improved pension benefits in the amount of $40,623.00.