Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2012

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, finding that none were incurred or aggravated by his military service and that any current disabilities are not related to his service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's gallbladder disability is not related to service, and his coronary artery disease is presumed to have been incurred during service. The claim for a gallbladder disability is denied as there is no evidence of a link between the in-service appendicitis and peritonitis and the current condition. The claim for coronary artery disease is granted as it is presumed to be related to service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development regarding the Veteran's claim of service connection for a heart disability, to include as due to herbicide exposure. The focus is on verifying the Veteran's alleged exposure to herbicides in Thailand.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for higher initial ratings for erectile dysfunction and CAD, as he withdrew his appeal of these issues. The claim for service connection for hypertensive heart disease remains pending.

The Veteran does not have a diagnosed condition of bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, or a skin disability of the feet that can be linked to his service. The Board finds no evidence of a heart condition secondary to PTSD.

The Veteran's heart disease and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy were not incurred in or aggravated by his military service, including as a result of exposure to Agent Orange. The claims are denied.

The Board has granted service connection for residuals of cold injury to the bilateral feet, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are consistent with his active duty service in Korea.

The appellant is not entitled to an earlier effective date for the award of DIC benefits due to her claim being filed more than one year after the regulatory amendment took effect, and she did not meet all eligibility criteria on the effective date of the law or VA issue.

The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death based on presumed exposure to herbicides in the Republic of Vietnam and a confirmed diagnosis of coronary artery disease, which is shown to have contributed to his death.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found no evidence of current disabilities or a relationship to military service.

Your claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including scheduling of hearings at the Huntington, West Virginia, RO.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's widow, Ms. C, requires regular aid and attendance due to her numerous disabilities, including hypertension, coronary artery disease, pulmonary tuberculosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cardiomegaly, atheromatous aorta, left atrial abnormality, persistent posterobasal forces, right corticomedullary area infarction, cerebrocerebellar atrophy, and osteoporosis. The Board granted special monthly pension benefits based on the need for aid and attendance of another person.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to a need to adjudicate the issue of entitlement to service connection for hypertension, as well as readjudicate the claim for heart disease status post myocardial infarction (claimed as coronary artery disease) and secondary to service-connected residuals of traumatic brain injury with loss of part of the skull.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found no evidence of in-service noise exposure and concluded that the current bilateral hearing loss, coronary artery disease, and peripheral vascular disease are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded to determine if he served in the inland waters of Vietnam and therefore qualifies for presumptive service connection based on Agent Orange exposure. The case will be readjudicated with consideration of any new evidence.

The Veteran's cause of death was due to circulatory collapse, caused by probable acute myocardial infarction and coronary atherosclerotic heart disease. The Board finds that PTSD did not contribute substantially or materially to the Veteran's cause of death.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and for further development. The issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, back disability, right inguinal hernia, and heart condition are pending.

The Board has determined that the issue of entitlement to a TDIU is inextricably intertwined with any questions regarding the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart condition. The case is therefore being remanded for further development and adjudication.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of arteriosclerotic heart disease, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current condition and his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension and heart disability are aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, warranting service connection for these conditions.