Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2007

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current diagnosis of a psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, and there is no evidence linking any diagnosed heart condition to service. Therefore, service connection for these conditions cannot be granted.

The Board found no evidence of a relationship between the veteran's current heart disease and his service, including his atrial premature contractures in 1962. The Board concluded that the veteran's current chronic atrial fibrillation is not related to his service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim to reopen her service connection for a heart disability, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted.

The Board found no evidence to support service connection for the veteran's claimed cardiovascular disability, including coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction, as it is not related to his low back disability or any other service-connected condition.

The Board has determined that the veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred at St. Michael's Hospital on August 20, 2002 were covered under VA regulations due to the nature of his chest pain and the urgency of seeking immediate medical attention.

The veteran's service-connected inactive pulmonary tuberculosis does not result in any current functional impairment warranting a compensable rating. The Board finds that the decreased pulmonary function is attributable to his non-service connected coronary artery disease. Service connection for coronary artery disease cannot be granted as it is not shown by the evidence of record.

The Board denied the reopening of the claim for service connection for schizophrenia and denied all other claims due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine and rheumatic heart disease, finding that there was no evidence to support a current disability or a link between his military service and these conditions.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and examinations. The issues are whether he is entitled to increased ratings for his coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current disability of bilateral hearing loss or arteriosclerotic heart disease (ASHD) with angina that is service-connected. The evidence did not support his claims and he was denied service connection for these conditions.

The veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a more contemporaneous examination of his heart disorder, as the most recent evaluation from September 2005 does not provide an estimate of METs. The claims file was not available at that time.

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected disabilities render him in need of regular aid and attendance, which is necessary for his daily functions.

The veteran's death was due to a service-connected disability (hypertensive heart disease) that may be presumed to have been incurred in service. The appellant's claim for nonservice-connected death pension benefits and accrued benefits is denied.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the appellant's claims for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death and eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits. The December 2003 medical opinion supports a relationship between Agent Orange exposure in service and the disabilities that caused the veteran's death.

The veteran's appeal for service connection for arteriosclerotic heart disease has been dismissed due to the death of the veteran.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the veteran's claims for service connection for a skin condition of the feet and a heart condition secondary to PTSD. The RO previously denied these claims in March 2002, and the veteran did not appeal this decision.

The veteran's death was caused by a brain tumor, cerebral-vascular accident, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The VA psychologist concluded that PTSD did not contribute substantially or materially to the cause of death.

The Board found no CUE in the October 1984 decision denying service connection for the cause of death, and denied the motion for revision.

The veteran's diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease do not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation, as his symptoms do not warrant a rating in excess of 20 percent or 10 percent respectively.