Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2005

The Board found that the veteran's cause of death was not related to any service-connected disabilities, and did not meet the criteria for accrued benefits or Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance under Chapter 35. The Board concluded that coronary artery disease could not be presumed to have been incurred in service due to exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board found that the veteran's pre-existing heart disorder, including myocardial infarction and rheumatic heart disease, existed prior to service and was not aggravated by service. As a result, the claim for service connection was denied.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development and consideration of his claims, including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling examinations to evaluate the severity of his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional medical examination and review, as preliminary steps are needed before a final decision can be made on the service connection claim.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection and effective dates, finding that his conditions were not incurred or aggravated by military service.