Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2011

The Veteran's heart disease is presumed to be related to his in-service herbicide exposure, and the claim for service connection for this condition is granted. The issue of service connection for PTSD remains pending as the Veteran failed to report for VA examinations.

The Veteran's death was caused by atherosclerotic heart disease, which the VA examiner determined was not related to his service-connected psychiatric disorder. The Board finds that the appellant's claim for service connection for cause of death is denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not cause or contribute to his death from chronic lymphocytic leukemia and coronary artery disease.

The Board has determined that the Veteran did not serve in the Republic of Vietnam, and therefore, does not meet the criteria for presumptive service connection based on exposure to herbicide agents. As a result, the claims for type II diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, and hypertension are denied as they do not have direct service connection.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for heart disability, reopening of arthritis of the right knee claim, and income excessiveness for VA pension benefits was granted.

The Board denied service connection for headaches, disability manifested by dizzy spells, a prostate disorder, and a heart disorder due to service. The Veteran's statements regarding these conditions were not credible.,VA examinations concluded that the Veteran's headaches, disability manifested by dizzy spells, prostate disorder, and heart disorder are not causally related to service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine if the Veteran's arteriosclerotic heart disease and sleep apnea are aggravated by his service-connected rheumatic heart disease.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not cause or contribute to his death from multiple myeloma and coronary artery disease. The private medical opinions were deemed insufficient due to lack of substantive discussion and analysis.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and entitlement to total disability based on unemployability were denied. The criteria for diabetes, atherosclerotic heart disease, and various types of peripheral neuropathy did not meet the requirements for higher ratings.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease is presumed to have been incurred during his active service in the Republic of Vietnam. Service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, secondary to diabetes mellitus, is granted.

The Veteran's death was not caused by any service-connected disability, and there is no evidence that VA medical treatment contributed to his death. The cause of death was pneumonia.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities have been granted. The Board has also determined that he is entitled to a higher rating for his diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran is found to be unemployable due to service-connected disabilities, and a total rating based on individual unemployability has been granted.

The Veteran's death in March 2001 is being reviewed to determine if the improper care and delay in diagnosing his heart condition at VAMC Albuquerque hastened his death, potentially entitling him to dependency and indemnity compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and need for further examination regarding the Veteran's claimed disorders, including those related to exposure during military service.

The Veteran's cause of death, arteriosclerotic coronary artery disease, is presumed to be related to his in-service exposure to herbicide agents. The Board finds that the Veteran meets the criteria for service connection due to this presumption.

The Board has determined that the Appellant is incompetent for VA purposes due to her multiple disabilities, including Alzheimer's Disease and blindness.

The Board has decided that the case should be remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's service connection claims for hypertension, hypercoagulability disorder (Factor Leiden 5 mutation and protein C and S deficiency), and genitourinary disorder manifested by bladder discomfort are granted as secondary to his service-connected coronary artery disease due to in-service herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected ischemic heart disease is granted as a result of herbicide exposure, and his PTSD is rated at the maximum allowable under VA regulations.