Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2013

The Veteran's hiatal hernia is not service-connected as it was not incurred or aggravated by her periods of active and inactive duty for training.,There is no evidence of a right shoulder disorder during the Veteran's periods of ACDUTRA, nor any current diagnosis.

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain an additional etiological opinion from a VA cardiologist regarding the Veteran's heart disease, including whether it is related to service or caused by his PTSD.

The Board denied service connection for cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and coronary artery disease as they were not shown to have been incurred or aggravated by active military service.

The Veteran's hypertensive heart disease did not meet the criteria for a higher rating, as his symptoms were not severe enough to warrant an evaluation in excess of 30 percent.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to fully and fairly consider the merits of the Veteran's claims, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the etiology of his hip and ankle disabilities as well as VA treatment records for all issues on appeal.

The Board found that the Veteran's countable income from March 1, 2009 to March 31, 2010 exceeded the applicable maximum annual pension rate (MAPR) for a single Veteran with no dependents and in need of regular aid and attendance. As his income exceeded the statutory limits, he is not legally entitled to payment of VA pension benefits.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for respiratory and heart disabilities, including those related to asbestos exposure or influenza. The evidence did not establish a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was not caused by his military service, and therefore denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inadequate examination findings and conflicting test results in the record.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a new VA examination to determine if his combined effect of all service-connected disabilities precludes him from engaging in substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development to obtain relevant medical records and provide a supplemental opinion regarding the Veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension and heart disability.

The Board is remanding the case for additional development, including a VA examination to determine if hypertension is related to service-connected ischemic heart disease or exposure to Agent Orange. The Veteran's PTSD may also be considered in relation to his hypertension.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of heart disease, sinus condition, or vision disorder and thus denied service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for further proceedings consistent with its decision, including consideration of new evidence and issuance of a Statement of the Case.

The Board has reopened the claims for hypertension and heart disorder, but denied the petition to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension is proximately due to or the result of his service-connected PTSD, granting service connection for this condition.,Regarding the heart disorder, the VA examiner concluded it was not at least as likely as not related to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and he did not have sufficient service to qualify for nonservice-connected death pension benefits. The appellant also does not meet the requirements for accrued benefits.

The Board found that the Veteran's current cardiac disorder, diagnosed as coronary artery disease, was not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's heart disorder was not incurred during active service and is not presumed to have been so incurred. Therefore, the claim for service connection for a heart disorder is denied.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to the death of the appellant.