Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2008

The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected dysthymic disorder substantially contributed to his death from congestive heart failure.

The veteran's appeal for an increased rating for coronary artery disease has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, depression secondary to diabetes, CAD, valvular heart disease, acid reflux or GERD, elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels, intermittent claudication, diabetic retinopathy, left foot and toe disability, psoriasis, and hypertension. The reasons for these denials are provided in the decision.

The veteran's widow is seeking service connection for the cause of his death and eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance. The case must be remanded to obtain a new medical opinion regarding whether the unavailability of the veteran's service-connected varicose veins contributed to his death, and to provide proper VCAA notice.

The VA denied the veteran's claim for an increased evaluation and TDIU due to his rheumatic heart disease with mitral stenosis and subacute bacterial endocarditis, finding that there is no evidence of chronic congestive heart failure or left ventricular dysfunction with an ejection fraction less than 30 percent.

The Board has determined that the veteran's coronary artery disease (CAD) is not related to his service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for hepatitis C and heart disease secondary to PTSD, effective from February 22, 2008.

The veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to incomplete records and the need for further examinations. The VA will obtain his National Guard service dates, review his medical history, and provide a new examination to determine if his heart and stomach conditions had their onset during any of his periods of active duty.

The Board has decided to remand the case for a VA medical opinion regarding whether the veteran's currently diagnosed chronic heart disorder, including coronary artery disease, was caused or aggravated by his service-connected residuals of rheumatic fever.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current coronary artery disease is not related to his military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The veteran's service-connected residuals of a shell fragment wound to the head materially contributed to his stroke, which in turn caused multiple stage IV decubitus ulcers that led to his death from overwhelming sepsis and multi-organ failure.

The Board found that the veteran's claimed conditions of COPD, heart disease, PTB, and emphysema were not incurred or aggravated by service. The evidence did not show a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current hypertension is not related to his time in service and therefore, he cannot establish direct service connection for a heart condition.

The Board found that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen the claim of service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, as the additional evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.

The veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeals for coronary artery disease, post-myocardial infarction, and residuals of a cerebrovascular accident.

The Board has determined that there is no current diagnosis of schizophrenia, and thus the claim for service connection for this condition is denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's cardiovascular disorder and hepatitis C are not related to his military service. The veteran's current conditions were diagnosed after separation from active duty, and there is no medical evidence linking these conditions to his time in service.

The veteran's heart condition is not service-connected and was not caused by VA medical care.,Hearing loss was not present during service or within one year of separation, and the current hearing loss is not attributable to service.,The veteran has a presumptive exposure to Agent Orange during service, but his respiratory disorder is not linked to this exposure.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected PTSD did not cause or contribute to his death, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of his death.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service records and the need for further medical examinations.