Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2013

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining service treatment records and post-service medical records. The Veteran will be provided with VA examinations to determine if he has a psychiatric disorder, diabetes, hypertension, or heart disorder related to his military service.

The Board found that the cause of the Veteran's death, intracranial hemorrhage, was not related to his military service or any of his service-connected disabilities. The Appellant argued that her husband’s service-connected cold weather residuals and shrapnel wound contributed to his fall at home which led to his death.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for PTSD, residuals of cold injuries, arthritis, vascular heart disease, and bilateral hearing loss for purposes of accrued benefits. The Veteran died before any VA medical examinations could be performed.

The Veteran's claims for viral pericarditis, gastrointestinal disorder, and heart disorders are denied as there is no current diagnosis of these conditions. The claim for bilateral upper extremity paresthesias is remanded.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary prior to the adjudication of the claims, including verifying the appellant's periods of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) and inactive duty for training (INACDUTRA).

The Veteran's atrial fibrillation manifested with fewer than four episodes per year, and thus a disability rating in excess of 10 percent is not warranted. The Board finds that the evidence does not support reopening his claim for service connection for chronic strain of the inner thighs or establishing service connection for heart disorders or TBI.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a heart disability, gastrointestinal disability, or right ankle disability that is related to his service. The claims for these conditions are denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease, post-traumatic stress disorder, hearing loss, and tinnitus, made him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation from April 19, 2006, to December 28, 2009.

The Board denied service connection for a cardiovascular disability/heart condition, finding that the myocardial infarction and its residuals were not incurred during active duty.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and arranging for a new medical examination to address the issues of service connection for hypertension and heart condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to a delay caused by the Veteran's attorney requesting more documents, and the Veteran was offered another video conference hearing. The claims for service connection are pending.

The Board has granted a 100% rating for coronary artery disease effective October 26, 2010. The Veteran's prostate disorder claim is pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a cardiovascular condition, and blood clots. The right ankle disability claim was not addressed as it pertained to revision of an August 1989 rating decision on CUE in failing to adjudicate a right ankle disability claim.

The Veteran's death was caused by left retroperitoneal hemorrhage, which may have been exacerbated by alcohol-induced thrombocytopenia. The appellant argues that the Veteran should be service-connected for his coronary artery arteriosclerosis due to exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam.

The Board has determined that the VA examination is inadequate and additional development, including obtaining private medical records from the Veteran's cardiologist and arranging for a new VA examination if necessary, is required to decide the claim of service connection for ischemic heart disease.

The Veteran's heart disorder is being remanded for additional development to verify his service within the Republic of Vietnam and obtain any relevant medical records.

The Board has ordered a remand due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease and its impact on his death. The case will be readjudicated after obtaining these opinions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease and degenerative arthritis of the spine, are found to affect his ability to engage in substantially gainful employment. The case is REMANDED for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including diabetes mellitus and related conditions, are denied as the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected left knee disability contributed substantially or materially to his death, and therefore grants entitlement to service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.