Other conditions Board decisions

The appellant is not eligible for VA death benefits as she does not meet the eligibility criteria for a surviving child.

The VA determined that the appellant's deceased husband had no service as a member of the Philippine Commonwealth Army, including recognized guerrillas, in the service of the United States Armed Forces. Therefore, the appellant is not eligible for death benefits.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for balance dysfunction and remanded the case to obtain additional development, including VA examinations.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining VA and private medical records, Social Security Disability records, and arranging for a neurological examination.

The veteran's right thumb disability was manifested with limited range of motion, ankylosis and flexion deformity. The RO granted a 10 percent rating for the period from May 1, 2003 to March 29, 2005.

The Board has ordered a new VA examination to determine the etiology of the veteran's current bilateral foot and heel disabilities, which were noted during his active duty service. The examiner will assess whether these conditions are related to his military service.

The veteran's claims for service connection for a left hand disability and residuals of a testicle injury were denied. His initial compensable ratings for residuals of stress fractures of the right and left feet remain unchanged.

The Board has determined that the appellant's discharge from service is a bar to VA benefits due to willful and persistent misconduct, despite receiving an administrative counseling/warning letter.

The veteran's claim for an extension of his ending date for educational assistance benefits under Chapter 30 beyond March 22, 1998 is denied as there is no evidence that he was prevented from initiating or completing a chosen program of education due to a physical or mental disability.

The Board found that the veteran's VR&E program has been discontinued due to his unwillingness to consider other alternative objectives, and denied both issues of propriety of discontinuance and support for self-employment.

The veteran's private dental treatment in the amount of $682.90 was not authorized by VA and thus reimbursement is denied.

The Board dismissed the appeal as the appellant withdrew it.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of a skull fracture and brain tumors, including pituitary tumors. The veteran's claims were previously denied due to lack of evidence linking her current conditions to service.

The veteran's service-connected stomach disorder is rated at 40 percent, the maximum schedular evaluation available for this condition.

The Board has determined that a combined 20 percent rating, with 10 percent for injury to Muscle Group V and 10 percent for Muscle Group VI, is warranted for the veteran's gunshot wound of the right elbow with fracture of the olecranon.

The Board has determined that the veteran's stomach disorder, including Meckel's diverticulitis and a duodenal ulcer, was not incurred in or aggravated by service. The claim for headaches is pending.

The Board has determined that the veteran's chondromalacia patella of both knees does not warrant a higher evaluation as there is no evidence of limitation of motion or instability beyond what is already reflected in the current 10% ratings.

The Board found no evidence of a service-connected dental condition resulting from an in-service injury or trauma, and thus denied the veteran's claim for service connection.

The veteran's chronic bowel disease results in two to four bowel movements per day without severe diarrhea and more or less constant abdominal distress. There is occasional fecal leakage, but not involuntary bowel movements due to loss of sphincter control.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected residuals of gunshot wound to the chest, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The veteran was not granted any new or material evidence that would warrant reopening his claims.