Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2003

The veteran requested the appeal be withdrawn, and his request was granted by the Board.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection due to lack of new and material evidence, as well as his claims for a heart disorder, residuals of cold injuries to the hands, and a psychiatric disorder.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of mustard gas exposure, malaria, hearing loss, and a back disorder due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for a heart disorder and iron deficiency anemia, and did not address the increased evaluation claim. The veteran's thyroid condition is rated at 10%.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and cardiovascular disease, including hypertension and acquired heart disease, as secondary to PTSD. The Board found that there was no evidence of a confirmed diagnosis of PTSD and that the current cardiovascular issues were not related to PTSD.

The Board found that the veteran's symptom of chronic fatigue is due to an undiagnosed illness incurred in service, and thus granted service connection for this condition. However, there was no evidence showing a current diagnosis of sleep disturbance as due to an undiagnosed illness.

The veteran's hearing loss is service-connected, and his AHD was initially granted a noncompensable rating in November 1973. The Board found that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is of service origin due to noise exposure during military service. For AHD, the Board determined that the evidence did not meet the criteria for an evaluation in excess of 30 percent prior to January 12, 1998 under either the old or new rating criteria. However, effective January 3, 2003, the veteran's symptoms more nearly approximated a workload of 3 or less METS resulting in dyspnea, fatigue, angina, dizziness, or syncope, or left ventricular dysfunction with an ejection fraction of less than 30 percent. Therefore, a 100 percent evaluation was granted.

The Board found that the veteran's current medical conditions, including headaches and a heart disorder, are not related to his in-service exposure to fluorocarbons. The lung disorder (emphysema) is linked to his long history of smoking.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and is remanding the issue of service connection for high blood pressure and a heart disorder secondary to PTSD. The claim for peripheral vascular disease was previously denied, but new evidence submitted does not meet the criteria for reopening the claim.

The Board denied service connection for rheumatoid arthritis, epidido-orchitis and a varicocele, and a skin disorder. Service connection was granted for hypertension/heart disorder and hypercholesteremia, but both were not shown during or within one year after service.

The Board has found that the veteran's coronary artery disease, which developed in service and was aggravated by service, contributed to his death. Therefore, service connection for cause of death is granted.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for rheumatic fever, rheumatic heart disease, degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine, thoracic spine, and lumbar spine. The appellant's pre-existing rheumatic fever did not worsen during his military service.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for organic heart disease, as his condition does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The veteran's disabilities, while disabling, do not meet the criteria for a permanent and total disability rating for nonservice-connected pension purposes due to their combined rating of 60 percent.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his hypertensive heart disease and right index finger disability, as well as his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability by reason of service-connected disabilities. The veteran's claim for dependents' educational assistance benefits was also denied.

The Board found that the veteran's essential hypertension and ASHD were not caused or aggravated by his service-connected rheumatic heart disease.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a heart disability and an initial compensable evaluation for a left subcostal region scar, finding that there was no current evidence of these conditions. The low back disability claim is discussed in the remand section.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim of entitlement to VA compensation benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for his heart disorder, which was previously denied in April 1997.

The Board found that the veteran's death was caused by coronary artery disease, which is not service-connected. The eligibility for Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance under Chapter 35 was denied.

The Board denied the veteran's request to reopen his claim of entitlement to service connection for heart disease, finding that no new and material evidence had been submitted.