Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2005

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of August 21, 1998 for the grant of service connection for cardiomyopathy with mitral regurgitation, coronary artery spasm, and abnormal heart rhythm.

The veteran's prostate cancer and heart disease claims are remanded for additional development, including verification of service in Vietnam and VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the relationship between his current disabilities and service. The veteran is advised to provide any additional pertinent evidence, undergo a VA examination, and respond within one year.

The veteran's death was caused by cardiopulmonary arrest and coronary artery disease, which were not service-connected. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to his active service.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused or contributed to by a service-connected disability, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a higher rating for post-traumatic stress disorder prior to May 9, 1997 and his claim for service connection for coronary artery disease.

The Board has denied service connection for hypertension and coronary artery disease, finding no medical evidence linking these conditions to the veteran's military service or a service-connected disability.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities are of a nature and severity so as to preclude the performance of all types of substantially gainful employment in keeping with his education and occupational experience, warranting a total rating based upon individual unemployability.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current diagnosis of hypertensive vascular disease or hypertension related to service, and specifically finds that these conditions are secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. As such, the claims for service connection are denied.

The veteran's ischemic heart disease is presumed to have been incurred in service due to his status as a former POW with localized edema.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development of his claims, including obtaining medical records and conducting examinations to determine the onset of his current hearing loss, lung disease, heart disease, and tinnitus.

The Board has reopened the appellant's claim of service connection for the cause of her husband's death, but denied DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 due to lack of entitlement at the time of his death.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for service connection of coronary artery disease and his claim for service connection of a spinal disorder secondary to his right leg amputation.

The veteran's death was caused by his service-connected brain concussion residuals, which contributed to the development of Parkinson's disease. The veteran's Parkinson's disease made him less capable of recovering from lobar pneumonia, leading to his death.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for various disabilities, including back, heart, right knee, and right eye disorders. The psychiatric disorder claim was also denied as secondary to other service-connected conditions.

The Board denied service connection for multiple myocardial infarctions and TDIU, finding that the evidence does not support a link between these conditions and active service or a service-connected disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for hypertension, finding that his blood pressure readings did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation under VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for a heart disorder, including Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted.

The Board has reopened the veteran's previously denied claims for service connection for lung, neck, throat, lip, heart, and jaw disorders due to new medical evidence associating these conditions with his in-service exposure to Agent Orange. The case is remanded for further examination and development.

The veteran's unauthorized medical services provided at the Salmon River Emergency Medical Clinic and St. Luke's Wood River Medical Center on April [redacted] 2003 were authorized due to an emergency situation where no VA facilities were feasibly available, and treatment was necessary for a service-connected condition.