Tuberculosis decisions — 2007

The Board denied the veteran's claim of service connection for his cause of death, as there was no evidence linking his death to any in-service disability or disease. The appellant is also not eligible for nonservice-connected death pension benefits due to her husband's recognized military service.

The Board has reopened the claims for PTSD and PTB, but denied both conditions as service connection.,Malnutrition was also denied as a service-connected condition.

The Board finds that the veteran submitted a timely VA Form 9 as to the claims for entitlement to service connection for tuberculosis and entitlement to service connection for a low back disability, thus granting these issues.

The Board has determined that the veteran's inactive pulmonary tuberculosis does not warrant a compensable evaluation, as his current symptoms are related to smoking rather than his service-connected condition.

The VA denied the veteran's request for an increased rating for his service-connected inactive tuberculosis with COPD, currently rated at 20 percent.

The veteran's hypertension and chronic renal insufficiency with dialysis are service connected as secondary to in-service hypertension. The positive TB test is not considered a disability for VA purposes, and allergic conjunctivitis, left shoulder disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinea cruris were acute and transitory conditions that resolved without residual disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for pulmonary tuberculosis, emphysema, and asthma. The claim for nonservice-connected pension benefits was also denied due to a lack of qualifying service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have tuberculosis and therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VCAA notice and incomplete medical records, particularly for treatment related to the veteran's left kidney condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for pulmonary tuberculosis and a compensable disability evaluation for residuals of histoplasmosis, finding no evidence of current disabilities related to these conditions. The claim for COPD was remanded.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and verifying mustard gas exposure during service.

The Board denied the appellant's request to restore her dependency and indemnity compensation benefits due to not meeting the statutory/regulatory requirements for remarried widows.

The Board determined that the veteran knowingly submitted a fraudulent medical certificate in support of his claim for service connection, leading to forfeiture of all VA benefits.

The Board denied the reopening of a claim for service connection for cause of death due to lack of new and material evidence, concluding that pulmonary tuberculosis was not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The veteran's skin disability was granted a 60 percent evaluation, while his claim for a compensable disability evaluation for pulmonary tuberculosis was denied.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to decide the veteran's claims for service connection for a ruptured spinal disc and pulmonary tuberculosis.

The veteran's death was caused by far advanced pulmonary tuberculosis, which was service-connected. The Board has granted the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for diabetes mellitus, sickle cell trait (claimed as sickle cell anemia), hepatitis C, tuberculosis, right knee injury residuals, eye injury residuals, and right rib injury residuals were denied. The Board found that the veteran did not have these conditions as a result of disease or injury incurred in or aggravated by honorable active military service.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that no disability incurred in or aggravated by service caused or contributed to the veteran's death.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected Crohn's disease contributed substantially to his death from lung cancer, and thus grants service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.