Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2013

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining a new medical opinion on the etiology of his hypertension and coronary artery disease, as well as an examination to determine the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability.

The Board has remanded the case for a video conference hearing and to address issues related to reopening service connection claims.

The Veteran's service-connected arteriosclerotic coronary artery disease with hypertension and angina, as well as his total knee replacement of the right knee, did not cause or contribute to his death. The Board finds that these conditions were not related to his death.

The Veteran's cause of death was metastatic bladder cancer, which is not service-connected. Coronary artery disease, a significant condition contributing to death, also had no direct link to the Veteran's active service or his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran seeks service connection for coronary artery disease with congestive heart failure and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower and upper extremities. The Board has determined that additional development is needed, including obtaining medical records and arranging for a VA examination.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have ischemic heart disease and his valvular heart disease is not related to service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for a heart disorder, including ischemic heart disease and valvular heart disease, was denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including verifying service and obtaining medical records. The appellant is seeking service connection for lung and heart conditions due to Agent Orange exposure and/or asbestos exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to procedural defects and the need for a medical opinion regarding the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for coronary artery disease/hypertensive cardiovascular disease and bilateral deep venous insufficiency, finding no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran was exposed to herbicides during service and therefore his diabetes mellitus type II and coronary artery disease are presumed to be related to this exposure. As a result, these conditions are granted as service connected.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus and his current heart disease/cardiac conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to address his claims of service connection for various conditions, including PTSD, heart disorder, fibromyalgia, sleep disorder, gastrointestinal disorders, cold injury residuals of the hands and feet. The case will be returned to the Board after further review.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart disorder and increased evaluations for anxiety disorder were denied. The Board found no current diagnosis of a heart disorder, and the Veteran's anxiety disorder was not shown to be proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected Lyme disease.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including retrieval of hospital records and a VA compensation examination to assess the nature and severity of his gunshot wound residuals in the left shoulder area. The issues concerning higher initial rating for CAD and earlier effective date for SMC are also being remanded.

The Veteran died of Parkinson's disease and coronary artery disease, which were not service-connected. The Board found that his service-connected dysentery did not cause or contribute to his death.

The Veteran's claim for specially adapted housing and special home adaptation grant, as well as automobile and adaptive equipment or adaptive automotive equipment only, is being remanded due to the need for clarification regarding his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's cause of death, congestive heart failure and coronary artery disease, were not incurred or aggravated by service. The Board found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart disease was denied as there is no evidence of such conditions during service or within the presumptive period.,Veteran does not have a current diagnosed disability of diabetes mellitus. The currently diagnosed ischemic heart disease is not related to an in-service injury, disease, or event.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied due to lack of evidence supporting the claimed conditions and their relationship to service or service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus is presumed to be related to his in-service herbicide exposure, and the Board grants service connection for this condition. The remaining issues of service connection for hypertension, renal disease, cerebrovascular accident, heart condition, and peripheral neuropathy are remanded due to medical questions that cannot be answered by the Board.