Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2005

The veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his CAD. The effective date claim for pancreatitis remains pending.

The Board has denied the appellant's deceased husband's claims for service connection for heart disease and osteoarthritis, finding that these conditions were not incurred during or within one year after his military service. The appellant is also denied entitlement to nonservice-connected death pension benefits due to her deceased husband lacking requisite service with the United States Armed Forces.

The Board found that the veteran's cause of death, cardiac arrhythmia due to arteriosclerosis of a coronary artery, was not related to his service and denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the issues of service connection for PTSD, a stomach condition, and a heart condition. The issue of whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen a claim for entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss will also be remanded.

The veteran's appeal for service connection for coronary artery disease and hypertension is being remanded due to the need for additional records, including SMRs from his active military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's heart disease with a history of syncope warrants a disability rating of 100 percent from April 25, 2002, forward.

The Board has determined that there is insufficient medical evidence to determine whether the veteran's diabetes and/or coronary artery disease contributed substantially or materially to his death from liver disease. The case is being remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected tuberculosis did not cause or contribute to his death from lung cancer. The appellant is therefore denied service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The Board found no evidence of a heart disorder during service or for many years after, and concluded that the cause of death was not related to active duty.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and a VA cardiac examination. The veteran's claims for an increased rating of his hypertensive heart disease are pending.

The Board denied the veteran's claim to reopen his previously denied heart disorder service connection claim, finding no new and material evidence.

The veteran's claims for increased evaluations for peripheral neuropathy of the left and right legs were denied, but he was granted a 10 percent rating for his service-connected coronary artery disease.,The veteran's peripheral neuropathy is currently rated as 10 percent disabling due to mild incomplete paralysis of the external popliteal nerve in both legs. His coronary artery disease is currently rated at 10 percent based on no symptoms at rest or exercise.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities are found to be productive of an overall level of impairment that more nearly approximates that of the veteran being precluded from securing and following substantially gainful employment consistent with educational and work experience. Therefore, a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disability is granted.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease. The issue is now on its merits, but it remains unclear whether the veteran can establish service connection due to the nature of the appeal.

The VA determined that the veteran's rheumatic heart disease, post aortic valve replacement, did not warrant an evaluation in excess of 60 percent prior to April 6, 1999.

The Board has determined that the evidence received since the May 1993 rating decision is not new and material, thus denying the veteran's request to reopen his claim of service connection for a heart disorder.

The Board has denied both the secondary service connection claim for heart disease and the service connection claim for blindness due to complications from a heart transplant. The appellant's heart disease is not considered to be related to his service-connected PTSD, and there is no evidence of any aggravation by his service-connected condition. The blindness was caused by an infection during the heart transplant operation, which was unrelated to any service-connected disability.

The veteran has withdrawn his appeals for service connection for bronchitis and coronary artery disease, both claimed as secondary to Agent Orange exposure and PTSD respectively.

The Board denied service connection for scleroderma, arthritis claimed as due to scleroderma, and heart disorder claimed as due to scleroderma. It also denied benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for additional disability involving scleroderma and a pulmonary disability resulting from VA treatment.

The Board denied an increased rating for the veteran's hypertensive heart disease and eczematoid dermatitis of the hands and rash of the groin and penis, maintaining the current disability ratings.