Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2006

The Board has granted a TDIU rating effective November 27, 2002 based on the veteran's service-connected arteriosclerotic heart disease with status post triple coronary artery bypass surgery. The combined rating for all disabilities was 40 percent prior to this decision.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the veteran's death and denied entitlement to Dependents' Educational Assistance benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. Chapter 35.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability, left ankle disability, and heart condition due to lack of evidence linking these disabilities to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the veteran's coronary artery disease and hypertension are aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

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

The veteran's current coronary artery disease is related to diastolic hypertension, atherosclerosis of the abdominal aorta, and a right bundle branch block incurred in active service.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of low back strain, heart disability, and residuals of transient ischemic attacks. The RO denied these claims in July 1989 due to lack of evidence of chronic conditions during service and no current disabilities related to service.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities have resulted in a 100% schedular rating as of December 9, 2005. The Board has determined that the preponderance of evidence is against his claim for TDIU due to these conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and coronary artery disease as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and declined to reopen his claim for hypertension. The RO also continued a 60 percent rating for hepatitis C.

The veteran claims his current coronary artery disease is related to his service-connected PTSD. The case is being remanded for a VA examination to determine if the stress of PTSD caused or aggravated his heart disorder.

The veteran's cause of death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and the Board denied both service connection for the cause of death and DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318.

The Board has determined that the veteran's arteriosclerotic heart disease is aggravated by his service-connected PTSD, and therefore grants service connection for this condition. The Board also found reasonable doubt regarding whether the veteran's dizziness and lack of stability are related to service or a service-connected disorder.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development due to incomplete records and unclear service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for atherosclerotic heart disease, finding that it was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service and is not related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board denied the veteran's increased rating claim for his left inguinal hernia, did not reopen his previously-denied service connection claim for a heart condition, denied service connection for type II diabetes mellitus and prostatitis, and declined to provide extraschedular consideration.

The veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, arteriosclerotic heart disease, and kidney failure are denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his active service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's pancreatitis is not related to his military service, including exposure to Agent Orange. Service connection for type II diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease was granted, but with initial evaluations of 20 percent and 10 percent respectively.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and arteriosclerotic heart disease as secondary to the veteran's service-connected anxiety disorder, and has assigned a 50 percent rating for the anxiety disorder. The claims of increased ratings for pes planus and anxiety disorder have been granted. The claims of reopening service connection for low back and neck disabilities as secondary to pes planus are also granted.

The VA determined that the veteran's coronary artery disease, post-stent replacement, warrants a rating of 30 percent and not higher.

The Board found no evidence linking the cause of death to service or service-connected disabilities, thus denying the claim for service connection for the cause of death. The DIC claim was also denied as there is no indication that the veteran had a continuous period of total disability prior to his death.