Other conditions Board decisions

The Board found no evidence to support the veteran's claim of service connection for a respiratory disorder and denied his claim. The dental claim was also denied as there was insufficient evidence linking any dental problem to VA treatment.

The veteran's complaints of fatigue have been medically attributed to several of her service-connected disorders, for which she is already in receipt of compensation.

The veteran's surviving spouse is denied accrued benefits as the veteran did not receive compensation for his service-connected disability prior to death.

The Board found that the appellant did not meet the criteria for being a surviving spouse of the veteran, as she and the veteran were separated continuously from the date of their marriage until the veteran's death. Therefore, the claim for non-service-connected death pension benefits was denied.

The Board found that the appellant's late husband did not have qualifying service in the United States Armed Forces, and thus does not meet the basic eligibility requirements for VA death benefits.

The veteran's application for reimbursement of educational assistance benefits for an on-the-job training course as a correctional officer at a United States penitentiary, from February 24, 2003 to February 24, 2004, was denied because the course was taken more than one year prior to his application.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for death pension benefits due to her excessive income, which exceeded the maximum allowable rate.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current residuals of bilateral cold injury of the feet, and thus service connection is denied.

The Board found that the veteran's service connection claim for multiple myeloma was denied as there is no evidence of exposure to herbicides in service and no competent medical evidence linking his current condition to his periods of service.

The Board has determined that the appellant is eligible for VA death benefits as the veteran's surviving spouse, based on continuous cohabitation despite periods of separation.

The Board has determined that the veteran's right elbow disability was not incurred during his active duty service or any period of inactive duty training. The evidence does not support a finding that the veteran had an in-service event, injury, or disease related to his current right elbow condition.

The Board denied a compensable disability evaluation for the veteran's fragment wound of the head, finding no evidence of a scar or other impairment related to the condition. The veteran also sought service connection for cerebrovascular accidents (CVA) that he claimed were caused by his head injury, but the Board found insufficient evidence to support this claim.

The veteran's request for service connection for left iliotibial band syndrome/tendonitis is being remanded due to his desire for a videoconference hearing.

The veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for his service-connected chronic depressed schizoaffective disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional VA medical records and a contemporaneous examination.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have any residuals of his service-connected ancylostomiasis, and thus a compensable rating is denied.

The veteran's claim for reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses at Central Maine Medical Center was denied because he refused to be transferred to a VA facility after stabilizing from initial emergency treatment.

The veteran's service-connected cold injuries to both feet are currently rated at the maximum allowable evaluation of 30 percent each, and no further increase is warranted.

The Board is remanding the case to obtain relevant medical records and conduct a new examination to determine if the veteran's lung disorder is related to service, specifically exposure to mustard gas. The case will be re-adjudicated after this additional development.

The veteran's service-connected low back disability is rated at 50 percent, the maximum schedular rating available under current criteria. The appeal has been denied.

The Board denied the veteran's petitions to reopen his previously denied claims for service connection for transverse myelitis, bladder disability, gastrointestinal condition, and back pain. The evidence submitted since the November 2001 RO decision did not relate these conditions to service or any other basis.