Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2010

The Veteran's claims for increased rating for left ear hearing loss, service connection for a heart disability (claimed as coronary artery disease), and reopening of his claim for an inguinal hernia were all denied. The Board found that the preponderance of evidence was against granting any of these claims.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, and hypertension. The evidence did not support a finding of in-service exposure to herbicides or any link between the claimed conditions and service.

The Veteran seeks service connection for heart disorders and polyps of the lower intestine, claimed as secondary to in-service herbicide exposure. The case is being remanded for additional development including obtaining medical records and a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to January 30, 2005 for service connection have been denied as there is no evidence of a claim filed prior to that date.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's coronary artery disease and erectile dysfunction are proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's cardiovascular disorder is found to be a direct result of his service-connected diabetes mellitus. His skin disorder, diagnosed as folliculitis and onychomycosis, is also found to be directly related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board is remanding the case for additional development to determine if there is a material causal role of the Veteran's service-connected anxiety disability in his death or any underlying conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's coronary artery disease is not related to service or a service-connected disability, did not manifest within the one-year presumptive period for chronic diseases, and CAD is not on the list of disabilities presumed service-connected in Veterans exposed to Agent Orange. Therefore, the claim for service connection for coronary artery disease was denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found no evidence of any current disabilities related to his active service.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, based on the presumption of exposure to herbicide agents during service. The Veteran's ischemic heart disease and hypertension are not addressed as they were not part of the original claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including visual disability, arthritis of the feet (gout), fractured ankles, prostate cancer, heart disability, and COPD, were denied as there is no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that there is a need for further development to determine if the Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis or its treatment contributed to his death, and whether it was more likely than not that these conditions were related to his service-connected condition.

The Veteran's PTSD is found to be related to his combat experiences during service, and the claim for service connection is granted. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, low back disability, heart disease (due to herbicide exposure), and hypertension are not addressed as they do not involve service connection.

The Board has determined that there is no valid diagnosis of PTSD, and the Veteran's current psychiatric disabilities are not related to service. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was denied, and his claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for coronary artery disease is also denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran's current tinnitus or coronary artery disease were related to military service.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's heart condition as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, Type II. The issues of hypertension and diabetic retinopathy with cataracts are addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery heart disease, finding no competent medical evidence showing a direct or secondary relationship to his military service.

The Board denied the claims for service connection for the cause of death, nonservice-connected death pension benefits, and accrued benefits due to lack of evidence linking the Veteran's death to his service or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for ischemic heart disease and polyneuropathy were not pending at the time of his death, so he is not entitled to accrued benefits in excess of $4330.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's heart disability and hypertension are related to his military service, including presumed herbicide exposure. As a result, both conditions have been granted service connection.