Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2004

The veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for his coronary artery disease is being remanded due to the need for further medical examination and opinion.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for multiple joint pains involving shoulders, elbows, wrists, knees, and ankle joints due to an undiagnosed illness and for increased rating for hypertensive heart disease. The evidence did not support a finding of service connection based on presumptive exposure to Gulf War operations.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for his service connection award, finding that the earliest possible effective date is August 31, 1993.

The Board has granted service connection for valvular heart disease, finding it incurred during active service. The remaining issues of sleep apnea, neuropathy, disability of the central nervous system, and other conditions are remanded for further examination.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development to determine the severity of his various disabilities and whether he meets the criteria for a permanent and total disability rating for non-service-connected pension purposes.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development of evidence, including review by the RO of a medical opinion from VHA.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of her husband's death, finding that his service-connected skin disorder did not contribute to his death. The Board also found no basis for granting Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA).

The Board found that the veteran's currently diagnosed coronary artery disease, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis, a heart disorder (claimed as mitral valve prolapse with mild regurgitation), and essential tremor. The claim for an increased rating for degenerative joint and disc disease, status post L5 laminectomy, is remanded due to changes in the applicable rating criteria.

The Board found that the veteran's heart disease and pulmonary emphysema are not associated with his service, including any potential radiation exposure during his time in Japan. The claims for service connection were denied as there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The VA denied the veteran's claims for compensation benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 due to lack of evidence showing that his claimed conditions were caused by VA hospitalization and medical treatment.

The veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease is rated at 100 percent effective September 24, 2001.

The veteran seeks service connection for coronary artery disease, which he contends was incurred during his military service. The case is remanded to obtain additional medical records and conduct further examination.

The veteran's unauthorized private hospitalization and medical expenses from May 31, 2001, through June 1, 2001 were reimbursed due to the emergent nature of his condition and the unavailability of VA facilities.

The veteran's claims for service connection for chronic asthma, ulcer disease, hiatal hernia/diverticulosis, and heart condition are mixed. Service connection is granted for chronic asthma due to its onset during active duty, but the other conditions are not considered service-connected.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected PTSD aggravated his hypertension, which in turn caused coronary artery disease. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Board found that the veteran's causes of death were not related to service and denied entitlement to service connection for the cause of his death.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development of his claims, including obtaining private medical records and VA examination reports.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed before the claims can be fully adjudicated.

The Board granted a 10 percent evaluation for hypertension and assigned an effective date of October 1, 2002, for the grant of service connection for coronary artery disease. The veteran's hypertension is characterized by diastolic pressure predominantly 100 or more requiring continuous medication for control.