Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2006

The veteran's PTSD is service connected. His heart disease and hypertension are not service connected, but his dermatitis of the hands warrants a 10% rating.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death and eligibility for Survivors' and DEA under Chapter 35, Title 38, of the United States Code due to insufficient evidence linking the veteran's death to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have service connection for panic disorder, degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, heart condition, or skin condition due to an undiagnosed illness.

The veteran seeks service connection for a cardiovascular disability, claimed as coronary artery disease, status post myocardial infarction. The claim is remanded due to incomplete medical opinion and the need for a new examination.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability and denied both the claim for service connection for cause of death and the claim for service-connected burial benefits.

The Board found that the veteran's heart disability is not secondary to his service-connected PTSD.

The Board granted service connection for the veteran's heart condition and assigned a 10 percent rating for his right shoulder disorder. The heart condition is presumed to have first manifested during service, while the right shoulder disorder is rated based on its current functional impairment.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hospitalization at Norton Community Hospital for an emergency condition was necessary and that no feasible VA facilities were available, thus allowing reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current heart condition and osteoarthritis did not manifest within one year of discharge, and there is no evidence linking these conditions to service. The veteran's claims for service connection are therefore denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for asthma, a heart condition, and pancreatitis. The evidence did not establish that these conditions were incurred during or aggravated by his military service.

The veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and evaluations.

The Board found no service connection for the cause of death and denied basic eligibility for nonservice-connected pension benefits due to lack of evidence linking the veteran's period of service to his death.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and ensuring compliance with VCAA notice requirements.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical evidence to assess his service-connected hypertensive heart disease and hypertension.

The veteran's claims for service connection for coronary artery disease and gastritis are being remanded due to the need for additional examination and review of his medical records.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a heart disorder and hypertension, both claimed as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board finds that the service-connected disabilities did not cause or contribute to the veteran's death due to cardiac failure, chronic renal insufficiency, and coronary artery disease. The VA examiner concluded that these conditions were primarily caused by other risk factors such as hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, age, and prior myocardial infarction.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations for his service-connected left knee arthralgia, coronary artery disease, hypertension, and right shoulder arthralgia. The evidence did not support a higher evaluation under any applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current heart disorder or any other psychiatric disability, and therefore service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, heart disease, and arthritis as there is no competent evidence of these conditions during or within one year after service. The veteran's assertions of symptoms during service are not supported by contemporaneous records and are in conflict with post-service treatment records.