Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2009

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was caused by his service-connected right foot disability, which aggravated his pre-existing vascular insufficiency and gangrene of the foot.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death, coronary and valvular heart disease, was related to service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, coronary artery disease, diabetic retinopathy, and erectile dysfunction as they are not related to service or secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and heart disease, finding that there was no evidence of these conditions during or within one year after his military service. The Board also found that there is insufficient medical evidence to link these conditions to his military service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claim of service connection for coronary artery disease and determined that new evidence received since the May 2004 rating decision supports a finding that his current condition is related to active service.

The Veteran is over the age of 65 and has a combined non-service-connected disability rating of 90 percent, meeting the criteria for special monthly pension based on housebound status.

The Board found that the Veteran's death was not caused by negligence, carelessness, or lack of proper skill on the part of VA in providing medical treatment. The appellant's claims were denied.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly pension on account of the need for regular aid and attendance or being housebound is denied as he does not meet the criteria for either benefit.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and hypertension. The Veteran's coronary artery disease is associated with his diabetes and hypertension, warranting a separate rating. A compensable initial rating of 10% was assigned for hypertension.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for pectus excavatum, coronary artery disease (CAD), and a myocardial infarction to include as secondary to pectus excavatum. The claim for seizure disorder was also denied. Service connection is not granted due to lack of evidence showing a nexus between any current disability and service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to care for his daily needs or protect himself from the hazards of his environment, such that he requires the regular aid and attendance of another person. He does not have loss or permanent loss of use of one or both feet or hands, nor ankylosis of one or both knees or hips due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's current coronary artery disease was not incurred in or related to service, nor is it caused by a service-connected disability. The Board denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's heart disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by service and may not be presumed to have been incurred in service. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for his heart disorder.

The Board finds that the Veteran's heart disability, including arrhythmia, is not related to his active duty service or exposure to herbicides. The claim for secondary service connection due to an acquired psychiatric disability is also denied as there is no current service-connected condition.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary heart disease status-post myocardial infarction, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his current condition and his military service.

The Veteran died of a myocardial infarction due to or as a consequence of coronary artery disease and congestive heart failure. The appeal is remanded for further development.

The Veteran is eligible for assistance in acquiring specially adapted housing and necessary adaptive equipment due to his service-connected disabilities, including peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities and CVA.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and therefore denied the claim for service connection for cause of death.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a stomach condition, arthritis, and heart condition were denied. The claim for service connection for the right foot injury with X-ray evidence of arthritis was granted with an initial evaluation of 10 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease, finding that the Veteran's elevated cholesterol levels in service were a risk factor for developing this condition.