Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2004

The Board has received notification from the appellant that they wish to withdraw their appeal, and thus the appeal is dismissed.

The Board has determined that the veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as anxiety disorder, is due to disease or injury incurred in service. The heart disorder claim requires further examination and evidence.

The veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeal. The Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of his claims as he is deceased.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to incomplete VA medical records and the need for an addendum VA medical opinion regarding his claims. The issue of service connection for COPD has been placed in appellate status.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for heart disease and varicose veins of the right leg, finding no evidence linking these conditions to service or a service-connected disability.

The veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for hypertension was denied, and his current claim for an increased rating for hypertensive heart disease from January 15, 1999, is granted. The effective date of the decision is not specified.

The veteran is seeking compensation under the provisions of 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for multiple medical disabilities arising from experimental radiation treatment in July 1979, but his claim has been remanded due to VCAA compliance issues and need for additional evidence.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a heart disorder and lung disorder, finding no competent evidence linking these conditions to his active service.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluation of tachycardia, heart disorders, and angina/CAD due to conflicting medical opinions and insufficient evidence on which to base an evaluation under relevant rating criteria.

The Board found that the service-connected ischemic heart disease did not contribute to the cause of death, which was due to emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Therefore, service connection for cause of death is denied.

The Board denied the veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection for residuals of rheumatic fever, including heart disease. The evidence received since July 1999 RO decision was deemed insufficient to establish new and material evidence.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for ischemic heart disease, and an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for malnutrition. The total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities was also denied.

The veteran died of emphysema and arteriosclerotic heart disease, but service connection was not established for these conditions. The appellant's claim is denied as the cause of death is attributable to tobacco use during service.

The veteran's hypertensive heart disease was granted a disability rating of 60 percent effective July 15, 2003. The appeal is resolved in the veteran's favor for this period.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected heart disease did not meet the criteria for a higher rating prior to August 14, 2001. The effective date of the increased rating was set at the date of receipt of his claim (August 31, 2000). For the total disability rating based on individual unemployability, the Board determined that the veteran did not meet the criteria for a higher rating prior to August 14, 2001.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection of organic heart disability, hypertensive vascular disease, and diabetes mellitus. The decision found no new and material evidence to reopen the claim for an organic heart disability, and concluded that both hypertension and diabetes mellitus were not incurred in or aggravated by military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a new examination. The veteran's claims will be readjudicated after this is done.

The Board granted an increased rating of 20 percent for Bell's palsy, but denied service connection for hypertension and a heart condition.

The veteran's service-connected heart disability, manifested by chest pain and shortness of breath with a workload of 8 METs, has not caused more than one episode of acute congestive heart failure in the past year or left ventricular dysfunction with an ejection fraction of 30 to 50 percent. As such, his claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent for CAD is denied.

The veteran's claim for an increased rating for hypertension, to include valvular disease and hypertensive heart disease is being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and a VA examination.