Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2008

The Board has ordered a remand to the RO for further action, including an addendum from a VA physician regarding whether the veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus aggravated his non-service-connected coronary artery disease.

The Board found that the veteran's cardiovascular disorders, including hypertension, coronary artery disease, and myocardial infarction, were not related to his military service. The service-connected disabilities did not cause or contribute substantially to his death.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims due to incomplete development and need for additional evidence.

The Board has determined that the veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, coronary artery disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), and sleep apnea are not service-connected as they were not incurred or aggravated during his military service.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected disabilities did not cause or contribute substantially to his death.

The Board denied the appellant's request to reopen her claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that no new and material evidence had been presented.

The Board found that the veteran's arteriosclerotic heart disease and heart attack were not incurred in or aggravated by his active service, and is unrelated to his service-connected residuals of rheumatic fever.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed before the case can be decided. The veteran needs to provide information about her medical treatment and VA should obtain relevant records from Mobile Family Physicians.

The veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of private medical services received at Steele Memorial Hospital on September 22, 2004 is denied due to lack of eligibility under the applicable regulations and because he had coverage through Medicare.

The Board found that the veteran's COPD and arteriosclerotic heart disease were not incurred in or aggravated by service, and denied both claims.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to determine if new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the appellant's claim of entitlement to service connection for the cause of the veteran's death. The RO must provide proper notice, obtain any relevant medical records, and then readjudicate the case.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred on July 21, 2006 due to lack of a medical emergency and because the treatment was not for a service-connected condition.

The Board denied the veteran's request to reopen his previously denied claim for service connection for a heart condition, finding that the new evidence submitted was not material and did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of coronary artery disease, claimed as a heart condition, is granted and effective from September 14, 1981.

The Board found that the veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction were not incurred in or related to service.

The veteran's claim for reimbursement or payment by VA of unauthorized private medical treatment received from April 26 to April 29, 2006 is being remanded due to the need for additional development and review.

The veteran's service-connected atherosclerotic heart disease and hypertension were found to warrant a 60 percent rating from January 22, 1997, until July 30, 1999. After that date, the criteria for a higher rating have not been met.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of service connection for aortic stenosis with coronary artery disease on a secondary basis, as well as his increased rating claims for degenerative arthritis and fibromyalgia. The November 2002 VA examiner concluded that the veteran's heart-related disabilities were not caused by or aggravated by his service-connected conditions.

The Board found that the veteran's current heart and back conditions were not incurred in or aggravated by service, and denied his claims for service connection.

The Board found that the veteran's cardiovascular disorder, including coronary artery disease and hypertension, was not incurred in or aggravated by active service. The evidence did not establish a nexus between the current condition and service.