Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2002

The VA has requested additional medical evidence and scheduled a VA examination to determine if the veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease has worsened. The appeal is being remanded for these actions.

The veteran requested an earlier effective date for a TDIU, which was granted based on the receipt of his informal claim. His service-connected ischemic heart disease and PTSD were already rated at their maximum levels.

The Board found that the veteran's valvular heart disease was not incurred due to active service, nor may it be presumed to have been incurred therein. The preponderance of evidence is against a causal relationship between his heart disease and any incident of service, including an episode of scarlet fever.

The veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and he did not meet the criteria for educational assistance benefits or accrued benefits. The VA burial benefit claim is pending as his body has been held by a state.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for heart disease due to new and material evidence submitted since the previous denial in December 1998.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection of arthritis, ischemic heart disease, and PTSD. The decision also noted that the veteran was a former prisoner of war (POW) during World War II.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for heart disease.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability and denied both the claim for service connection for cause of death and the claim for educational benefits under Chapter 35.

The Board found that the cause of the veteran's death was not related to service or a service-connected disability, thus denying the claim for service connection for the cause of death.

The Board found that the veteran's cardiovascular disorder, including coronary artery disease and hypertension, was not incurred in or related to service. The VA examination report concluded that the heart murmur detected during service and symptoms noted in service were not early manifestations of the current heart disorder.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for sinusitis, bilateral hearing loss, hypertension with vascular disease, and heart disease. The evidence did not support a finding of chronic conditions in service or any link to service.

The veteran's service-connected conditions, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and coronary artery disease with bypass graft, have resulted in permanent loss of use of both lower extremities. Additionally, he has blindness in both eyes with 5/200 visual acuity or less. As a result, the veteran is eligible for financial assistance in acquiring specially adapted housing.

The Board found that the service-connected anxiety neurosis did not substantially or materially contribute to the veteran's death, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected disabilities did not cause or contribute to his death, which was due to a fall resulting from treatment for Hodgkin's disease.

The Board denied the veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for hypertension and arteriosclerotic heart disease, finding that there was no evidence showing a pre-existing condition aggravated by service or onset during service.

The Board found that the VA has fulfilled its duty to assist in developing evidence and determined that the veteran's heart disease is not related to his service-connected PTSD. The claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 was granted.

The VA determined that the veteran's diagnosed coronary artery disease was not incurred as a result of his service-connected bilateral knee disability or otherwise due to any incident of his active service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including scheduling a videoconference hearing and issuing a Statement of the Case regarding the claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus.

The veteran's claims for service connection for bladder cancer, COPD, and a heart disorder are denied as the use of tobacco products that began in service is precluded due to the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000.

The veteran's appeal is dismissed due to his death, and the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this claim.