Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2007

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and further development is needed before a decision can be made on whether service connection for the cause of the veteran's death should be granted.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for heart condition and traumatic arthritis in the knees, hips, and left shoulder as there is no evidence of these conditions during or within one year after service. The veteran did not have a diagnosis of arthritis at any time.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for restoration of service connection for PTSD, entitlement to service connection for Barrett's esophagitis, and reopening his claim for service connection for hypertensive arteriosclerotic heart disease. The evidence submitted did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.

The veteran's death was not due to a service-connected disability, and thus the claim for service connection for the cause of his death is denied. The appellant is also not entitled to service-connected burial benefits as her husband's death is not service-connected.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a request to U.S. Army and Joint Services Records Research Center (JSRRC) to investigate whether the veteran was exposed to Agent Orange at Webb Air Force Base in Texas.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including chronic urinary stone formation, hypertensive heart disease, and status post cerebrovascular accident, are of such severity as to render him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that the criteria for a TDIU due to service-connected disabilities have been met.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by or related to his service-connected schizophrenia, and thus denied service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The Board had no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of the claim.

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disorder due to new evidence submitted since the previous denial in December 1983. The new evidence includes medical records and testimony from the veteran, his brother, and a doctor's letter.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for ischemic heart disease due to new and material evidence presented, but it remains denied as there is no evidence showing ischemic heart disease was incurred in or aggravated by military service.

The veteran died in November 2001 due to multiple conditions, including acute respiratory failure, community acquired pneumonia, diabetes mellitus, type II, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, ischemic heart disease, and senility. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board found that the veteran's hypertension and coronary artery disease were not related to his service-connected PTSD. The veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 30 percent, but the Board determined this rating was appropriate based on the symptoms described. The veteran's TDIU claim was also denied.

The Board found that the reduction of the 60 percent disability rating to 10 percent for service-connected coronary artery disease, status-post myocardial infarction was proper based on sustained improvement in the veteran's condition.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the veteran's current conditions are related to his in-service noise exposure. The heart condition and pulmonary condition (claimed as asbestosis) claims remain pending.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease, finding that it did not manifest during a period of active or inactive duty training and was not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's currently diagnosed coronary artery disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and lipomas of the chest and back were not incurred in or aggravated by active military service.,VA is remanding the issue of entitlement to service connection for irritable colon due to a timely filed notice of disagreement.

The Board found no evidence of a current sinus disorder or mitral valve heart disease that is related to service. The veteran's claims for these conditions were therefore denied.

The Board has determined that the appellant does not have qualifying active military service and therefore, cannot be recognized as a veteran for VA benefits.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for hypertension and arteriosclerotic heart disease, as well as his claim for restoration of a 40 percent rating for AHD. The RO continued the 10 percent rating for hypertension and decreased the 40 percent rating for AHD to 30 percent.

The veteran's death was not caused by, or substantially or materially contributed to, by a disability or disease incurred in or aggravated by active military service.