Epilepsy & seizure disorders decisions — 2004

The Board has granted service connection for paranoid schizophrenia and denied service connection for a seizure disorder. The veteran's paranoid schizophrenia is presumed to have occurred in service, while the seizure disorder was not found during or after service.

The Board found that a service-connected disability contributed to the cause of the veteran's death, and granted service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The Board has granted service connection for a seizure disorder effective July 25, 1977. However, the RO denied Dependents' Educational Assistance benefits on the basis that the veteran's total disability was not permanent in nature. The case is remanded to issue a Statement of the Case addressing this issue.

The veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 100 percent evaluation for his service-connected cytomegalic inclusion disease with organic mental syndrome, impulse control disorder and seizure disorder was denied as the evidence did not show that an increase in disability was factually ascertainable during the one-year period prior to October 31, 2001.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical records and the need for a VA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and an initial disability rating of 30 percent for the veteran's skin condition (tinea versicolor). The issues regarding bilateral hearing loss, seizure disorder, and a higher rating for the skin condition are still pending.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and examination, including obtaining additional medical records and arranging for a VA examination.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a seizure disorder, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service injury or disease and concluding that any current condition is not related to military service.

The VA has granted a 60 percent disability rating for the veteran's myoclonic epilepsy, but did not grant any increase beyond this.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating for a seizure disorder and for a TDIU rating.

The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's seizure disorder, finding it secondary to a pre-existing condition.

The VA determined that the veteran's seizure disorder, which is currently rated at 40 percent disabling, does not meet or more nearly approximate the criteria for a higher rating due to insufficient evidence of frequent seizures.

The Board has granted service connection for a seizure disorder and assigned a 100 percent rating for PTSD. The remaining issues of whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen the previously denied claims of entitlement to service connection for arthritis of the lumbosacral spine, shoulders, and knees, and for prostatitis, and entitlement to a higher initial rating for Hepatitis C rated zero percent disabling are REMANDED.

The veteran's Achilles tendonitis and seizure disorder were not incurred in or aggravated by service.,Claims for bipolar disorder, personality disorder, hepatitis, pes planus, and residuals of a right little finger injury have been denied as new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen these claims.

The Board has determined that the veteran's seizure disorder is attributable to his active duty service and grants service connection for this condition.