Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2009

The Board concluded that the preponderance of the evidence is against the veteran's claim for service connection for a heart condition, both directly and as secondary to his service-connected history of thyrotoxicosis.

The veteran's PTSD with dysthymia is rated at 50 percent, which the Board finds to be appropriate given the moderate social and occupational impairment.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, for the purpose of accrued benefits.

The Board denied service connection for a heart disorder, finding that it was not incurred in or aggravated by service and was not caused by or permanently worsened by the veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus. The Board also found that the veteran's diabetes mellitus did not require his activities to be clinically regulated.

The veteran developed additional heart disability as a result of VA's failure to properly evaluate and treat his heart condition.

The veteran's coronary artery disease and PTSD were evaluated, with the former denied an increase in rating while the latter was granted a 30 percent rating.

The Board finds that the veteran's currently diagnosed mitral stenotic valvular heart disease was not incurred in or aggravated during his active duty service.

The appeal must be remanded to the RO for additional development and notification as required by law.

The Board denied the veteran's request to restore a 30 percent evaluation for coronary artery disease, as there was no evidence of an actual improvement in his ability to function under ordinary conditions of life and work.

The veteran's claims for service connection for coronary artery disease and renal insufficiency were granted, while his claims for increased ratings for PTSD were denied.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher initial ratings and earlier effective dates for PTSD, service connection for sleep apnea, heart disability, onychomycosis, lipomas, and left foot and ankle disability. However, it granted a 70 percent rating for PTSD as of May 3, 2006, due to worsening symptoms.

The Board denied the appellant's claim for dependency and indemnity compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1318(b) as the veteran did not meet the criteria of having a total disability rating for at least 10 consecutive years immediately preceding his death.

The Board granted service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that diabetes mellitus, type II, a condition presumed to be related to herbicide exposure during service, contributed substantially to the veteran's death.

The veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to acoustic trauma incurred in service.

The Board denied service connection for a left hip disability, hearing loss, hypertension, and coronary artery disease. The claim for an initial compensable evaluation for residuals of a left rib fracture was also denied.

The veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, degenerative joint disease of the left knee, degenerative joint disease of the left hip, and coronary artery disease, status post coronary artery bypass were remanded for a Travel Board hearing.

The veteran withdrew the appeal before a decision was made.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertensive arteriosclerotic heart disease, cholecystolithiasis, and left ear hearing loss as there was no evidence of these conditions in service or within a reasonable time thereafter, nor any competent medical evidence linking them to his military service.

The appeal was remanded to reschedule the veteran's video conference hearing at the St. Paul RO.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected disabilities did not cause his death and played no substantial or material part in his death, and did not otherwise materially accelerate his death.