Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2012

The Board has determined that further development is necessary to adjudicate the appellant's claim for service connection for cause of the Veteran's death. This includes obtaining terminal hospital records, private medical opinions, and any additional evidence from the appellant.

The Board has granted a 50% rating for service-connected migraine headaches effective from August 2010, and the Veteran's GERD is found to be due to disease or injury incurred in active service. The heart disorder remains pending as it was remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart disease on a presumptive basis due to exposure to herbicides in Vietnam. The Veteran's hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and bilateral eye disability are also presumed related to his diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran is seeking compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for a myocardial infarction due to VA medical treatment in September 2006. The case must be remanded to obtain additional records, including an informed consent document and a medical opinion regarding the cause of the myocardial infarction.

The Board finds that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to her military service, and she has a reasonable doubt in favor of her claim for service connection. The Board also finds that there is a reasonable doubt as to whether her cervical spine disability is related to her military service.

The Board has granted service connection for right foot and ankle disability, finding that the Veteran's current disability is at least as likely as not attributable to documented in-service injuries. The claims for heart disability and psychiatric disability are addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for additional development to determine if his service-connected disabilities render him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that the appellant's medical expenses incurred at Slidell Memorial Hospital on August 5, 2008 were reimbursable due to his service-connected disabilities and because a VA facility was not feasibly available.

The Veteran's claim for SMC by reason of the need for regular aid and attendance of another person or being housebound was denied as he does not meet the criteria for either benefit.

The Board has determined that the appellant did not have any service-connected disabilities, and therefore denied all claims for service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of coronary artery disease, finding that the December 1968 rating decision denying service connection was not clearly and unmistakably erroneous.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and need for additional development, including clarification of service in Vietnam and asbestos exposure.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and a supplemental VA medical opinion to address the nature and etiology of his claimed hypoxemia and heart disability.

The Veteran's combined schedular rating for multiple service-connected disabilities has now reached 100 percent, rendering moot his claim for a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability due to service connected disorders.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were dismissed as there was no evidence of radiation exposure and the conditions were not related to service.

The Board has determined that service connection is granted for recurrent lipomas but denied for a skin disorder other than recurrent lipomas. The Veteran's claims of entitlement to increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and TDIU are being remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease (CAD) secondary to diabetes mellitus were granted with effective dates of September 29, 2003.,An earlier effective date of August 1998 was denied as the claim was not filed prior to September 29, 2004.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease was not shown to meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 30 percent prior to April 18, 2011.

The Veteran's paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia has not been productive of more than severe, frequent attacks. He does not have episodes of congestive heart failure, left ventricular dysfunction with an ejection fraction of 30 to 50 percent, or workload greater than 3 METS resulting in dyspnea, fatigue, angina, dizziness or syncope.

The Board found no evidence to support the Veteran's claim that his heart disability was caused or aggravated by his service-connected anxiety disorder, and thus denied the claim.