Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2008

The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease (CAD) due to the veteran's current diagnosis and the analysis of his medical history, with reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the veteran.

The cause of the veteran's death, atherosclerotic coronary artery disease, developed many years after service and was not related to any condition incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board finds that the veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and thus denied DIC benefits under Section 1310. The claim for compensation benefits under Section 1151 is also denied as there is no evidence showing VA negligence contributed to the cause of death. Basic eligibility for DEA Program under Chapter 35 is also denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected hypertensive heart disease, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has granted service connection for arteriosclerotic heart disease as secondary to the veteran's service-connected rheumatic valvular heart disease. The rating for the service-connected rheumatic valvular heart disease remains unchanged.

The veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center (CHMC) on April 7, 2006 is denied as the treatment did not meet the criteria for emergency care under VA regulations.

The Board granted service connection for PTSD and assigned a 50 percent rating effective from the date of receipt of the veteran's claim in September 2005. The veteran disagreed with this rating, leading to his appeal.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for a skin disorder and arteriosclerotic heart disease, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his service or herbicide exposure. The Board also found that the veteran's arteriosclerotic heart disease is not related to his service-connected PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case due to deficiencies in notice provided by the RO/AMC and for obtaining additional medical records. The appellant's claim of service connection for the cause of her husband's death is being addressed, along with her claim for burial benefits.

The appeal is remanded for a VA examination to clarify the relationship between the veteran's heart disorder and his service-connected skin disability, including any anxiety caused by that skin disability.

The claim for service connection for major depressive disorder was reopened, but the appeal for a higher initial rate of special monthly compensation due to the loss of use of a creative organ was denied as a matter of law.

The Board denied service connection for chronic heart disability, peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities as these conditions are not related to active duty service or service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete medical records and the need for VA examinations.

The Board found that the veteran's cause of death, arteriosclerotic heart disease with aspiration pneumonia, was not caused or contributed to by his service-connected condition (post-operative nucleus pulposus L5-S1, intervertebral disc disease). The evidence did not support a finding that any service-connected disability caused or contributed substantially or materially to the veteran's death.

The Board found no medical evidence linking the cause of the veteran's death to service or a service-connected disability. The appellant’s claims for service connection and dependency and indemnity compensation benefits pursuant to 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 were denied as there was insufficient evidence to establish that a service-connected condition caused or contributed substantially or materially to cause the veteran's death.

The veteran's appeal for service connection for peripheral neuropathy and a higher rating for coronary artery disease, postoperative bypass surgery, is being remanded for further development.

The appeal is being remanded for a more definitive medical opinion regarding the relationship between coronary artery disease and Barrett's esophagus, and service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The Board denied service connection for a heart disorder, finding no evidence linking the condition to service or PTSD. The claim for an increased rating for sinusitis was withdrawn by the veteran.

The Board found that the veteran's coronary artery disease (CAD) was not due to any event or incident of his period of active service, nor caused by or aggravated by his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus.

The appeal for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD was dismissed, and appeals for earlier effective dates for grants of service connection for cerebral vascular disease, coronary artery disease, and peripheral vascular disease were denied.