Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2002

The Board denied the veteran's request to reopen his claim of entitlement to service connection for heart disease, including hypertension and tachycardia. The evidence received since the RO's September 1990 decision was not considered new and material.

The Board found that the veteran failed to report for a VA examination and did not provide adequate medical evidence of current disabilities. As such, service connection was denied.

The Board found that the veteran's coronary artery disease, which is rated at 60 percent disabling, does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under either the old or new VA Rating Schedule. The workload was reported as 9.4 and 10 METs, with an ejection fraction greater than 30 percent.

The Board denied service connection for cause of the veteran's death and denied entitlement to accrued benefits due to lack of pending claims at the time of his death.

The veteran died due to arteriosclerotic heart disease, which was first manifest during service. The Board has granted service connection for the cause of death.

The Board denied reopening of claims for PTB, chronic heart disease, and arthritis due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the veteran's death due to coronary artery disease, which was attributed to tobacco use during military service. The appellant's claim was filed after June 9, 1998, when a provision prohibiting service connection based on tobacco use in service took effect.

The Board found that the cause of the veteran's death, occlusive coronary artery disease due to (or as a consequence of) coronary arteriosclerosis, was not service-connected.

The Board denied service connection for arthritis and heart disease as residuals of rheumatic fever, finding no evidence linking these conditions to active duty or the onset within one year after discharge.

The Board found that the veteran's heart disease and hypertension did not have a direct link to his service, and thus were not caused or contributed to by any service-connected disability. The claim for DIC based on the cause of death was denied.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for heart disease and residuals of a chest injury, as well as his request for an increased evaluation for pleurisy. The evidence did not establish new and material evidence to reopen the claim for heart disease. For the chest injury, there is no medical evidence linking current symptoms to service or any residual injuries.

The Board granted service connection for ischemic heart disease and post-traumatic stress disorder, effective from May 20, 1999. The veteran's combined disability rating was increased to 80 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for urinary tract or bladder infection and sinus tachycardia, finding that he did not have current disabilities of these conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current cardiac disabilities are not related to his service-connected rheumatic heart disease and he currently manifests no significant symptoms of rheumatic heart disease. Therefore, the criteria for restoration of a 100 percent rating for service-connected rheumatic heart disease have not been met.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing a Statement of the Case on the issue of burial benefits. The appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of death will be reconsidered based on all evidence of record.

The VA denied the veteran's request for an increased rating of his rheumatic heart disease, currently evaluated at 30 percent. The criteria did not meet the requirements for a higher rating.

The Board has granted service connection for lumbar and cervical spine disabilities effective from November 24, 1987. The veteran's heart condition was not found to be incurred in or aggravated by active military service. Effective dates have been established for the lumbar and cervical spine conditions as well as a TDIU rating.

The Board denied the veteran's claim of service connection for ischemic heart disease with myocardial infarction, finding that new and material evidence had been submitted but concluding that the disability was not related to his active service or any incident therein.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of PTSD and heart disease, finding that there was no clear and unmistakable error in previous decisions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating for his pulmonary disability and service connection for a chronic heart disorder secondary to his already service-connected lung condition. The evidence did not support the presence of a current chronic heart disorder or any causal relationship between it and his service-connected lung condition.