Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2006

The Board has determined that the threshold requirements for establishing service connection are not met, and therefore service connection for residuals of a left wrist injury is denied.

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

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the claim of service connection for a heart condition. The March 2002 rating decision denying this claim is final.

The veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and coronary artery disease with congestive heart failure are being remanded due to the need for additional development of his medical records.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus, ulcerative colitis, coronary artery disease (CAD), and hypertension as they are not related to his military service.

The Board found no evidence to support the veteran's claims for pulmonary disability and PTSD, but reopened his claim for heart disability with high blood pressure due to new medical evidence. The rating for PTSD remains unchanged.

The Board found that the veteran's heart disorder did not manifest within a year of service discharge and is not otherwise etiologically related to his period of active duty. The presumption of soundness applies, as there was no pre-existing condition noted at entry into service.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities do not require aid and attendance or render him housebound.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for coronary artery disease and claustrophobia, finding that there is no evidence to support these conditions were incurred or aggravated during service.

The veteran's claim for reimbursement of medical expenses incurred in September 2, 2002 was denied as he did not meet the criteria for emergency treatment under VA regulations.

The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease and hypertension as presumptively incurred due to the veteran's status as a former prisoner of war. Service connection is denied for malnutrition.

The Board found that the veteran's heart disability, including coronary artery disease and status post coronary artery bypass graft, was not incurred in or aggravated by his active military service. The evidence did not show a current disability related to service.

The Board finds that the veteran's hypertension and coronary artery disease with myocardial infarction were not incurred or aggravated during his active military service. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The veteran's appeal is remanded due to the lack of recent VA treatment records and a need for a new VA examination to assess his heart disability. The issue remains about entitlement to an increased rating for arteriosclerotic heart disease.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that the evidence did not meet the requirements of 38 U.S.C.A. § 5110 and 38 C.F.R. § 4.00.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, renal kidney disease, brain damage, a heart condition, a bilateral knee condition, and residuals of calcaneal stress fracture due to lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board has determined that the service-connected PTSD did not contribute substantially or materially to the cause of death, and therefore, does not meet the criteria for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for chronic residuals of hepatitis A and coronary artery occlusive disease, finding that there is no evidence to support these conditions being related to his military service.

The veteran's appeal for service connection for heart disease has been dismissed due to the withdrawal of his appeal by his representative.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hypertension, heart disease, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, low back disability (arthritis), left knee disability, residuals of a left hand injury with tremors, and degenerative arthritis of the left shoulder were not incurred in or aggravated by active service. The claims for increased ratings are also denied.