Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2002

The Board has determined that the veteran's current cardiac disability, including coronary artery disease, hypertension, and abdominal aortic aneurysm, is not related to his service-connected malaria or any other condition. As such, the claim for service connection is denied.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that there was no evidence linking his coronary artery disease and hypertension to his active service.

The VA determined that the veteran's hypertensive heart disease does not meet the criteria for a higher disability rating, as it did not show more than one episode of acute congestive heart failure in the past year or workload greater than 3 METs but not greater than 5 METs resulting in dyspnea, fatigue, angina, dizziness, or syncope.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for pericarditis and psychophysiological cardiovascular reaction, as well as his claim for a chronic heart disability due to an electrical shock. The RO previously denied these claims multiple times without reopening them.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease, finding no evidence linking his current condition to service.

The Board found that the veteran's diagnosed coronary artery disease did not manifest to a degree of 10 percent disability or more within one year from the date of separation from service, and thus denied presumptive service connection. The Board also found that there was no direct evidence linking the veteran's current condition to his military service.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for COPD and heart disease (hypertension), finding that there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for a heart condition, finding that his preexisting congenital aortic defect did not worsen during service and that any coronary artery disease was first identified several years after separation from active duty.

The veteran's service-connected PTSD is found to have contributed substantially and materially to his death from a heart attack, myocardial infarction. The veteran also had other service-connected conditions which did not contribute to the cause of death.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for the cause of her husband's death and eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claims for service connection of organic heart disease and hypertension. The issues will be further addressed in a subsequent decision.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's withdrawal of the appeal prior to a decision being made.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected valvular heart disease. The RO will also consider his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for heart disorders as secondary to his service-connected PTSD with anxiety and depression, finding no competent medical evidence that the PTSD caused or aggravated the coronary artery disease.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for cause of the veteran's death, finding that no in-service diagnosis or treatment was provided for any of the principal or contributory causes of death. The Board also found that there is insufficient evidence to establish presumptive service connection based on the veteran's status as a former prisoner of war.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of July 7, 1998 for a 100 percent evaluation for service-connected heart disease. The Board found that it was not factually ascertainable within one year prior to July 7, 1998 that an increase in heart disease had occurred.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, status post aortofemoral bypass for peripheral vascular disease with claudication and clots, coronary artery disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and an eye disability. The appeals were based on direct evidence of these conditions.

The veteran's TDIU claim was granted effective from October 5, 1998. The RO found that the veteran had been prevented from engaging in substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected heart condition since July 31, 1997.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and Coronary Artery Disease. The decision stated that there was no credible supporting evidence of in-service stressors for PTSD, and that coronary artery disease was not shown to be proximately due to or the result of a service-connected disability.

The Board found no evidence of current eye disability or a relationship between the veteran's period of service and his diagnosed heart disease, thus denying both claims for service connection.