Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2009

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, leading to the grant of TDIU effective May 17, 2005.

The Veteran's nonservice-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly pension based on need for aid and attendance of another person or housebound status.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, a psychiatric disability, heart disability, pancreatitis, and hypertension. The evidence did not corroborate the claimed in-service stressors or show that any of these conditions were related to military service.

The Veteran's death is being reviewed for possible service connection, and the DIC claim is inextricably intertwined with this issue. The Board requires a VA medical opinion to determine if any of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities contributed to his death.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate reasons and bases for denying service connection, including a need for VA examinations.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for hypertension with cardiomegaly is being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and examination.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for heart disease and remanded both issues on appeal, including a potential secondary service connection issue. Additional evidence is needed to determine the appropriate rating for PTSD and whether heart disease is related to service-connected PTSD.

The Board found no evidence of diabetes mellitus during service and denied the Veteran's claims for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination and medical opinion regarding the etiology of all claimed conditions.

The Veteran's heart disability is not service-connected, but he was granted compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for the heart failure with resultant pacemaker implantation due to treatment at a VA facility in September 1999.

The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease (CAD) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected chronic anxiety reaction, moderate, major depressive disorder, and diabetes mellitus.

The Board found no evidence of current disabilities and concluded that the Veteran did not have any of the claimed conditions during his service.

The case is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and clarifying the appellant's attorney's comments.

The Veteran's initial rating for ischemic heart disease is denied as his condition does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder including PTSD, a heart disorder to include coronary artery disease and ischemic heart disease, migraine headaches, and a disability manifested by dizziness.,The Veteran's claims were not supported by the evidence of record.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and readjudication of all issues on appeal, including service connection claims and a claim for an increased rating for PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for coronary artery disease and hypertension has been granted, with the effective date being May 29, 2007. The Veteran is now rated at 60 percent for his coronary artery disease.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and for a VA examination. The claim will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable due to his service-connected conditions, as he is currently enrolled in full-time college and has a high school education with one year of college. His service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board finds that the VA facilities are geographically accessible and capable of providing the required care, thus denying the Veteran's claim for fee basis medical care.