Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2014

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records and a special VA aid and attendance/housebound examination.

The Board denied service connection for residuals of a head injury, right hip disorder, acquired psychiatric disorder, diabetes mellitus, type II, sleep apnea, CAD, and aneurysm to the brain and aorta. The decision is final.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for a heart disorder, including the need for a cardiac defibrillator, which he claims is related to his service-connected bronchiectasis. The case has been remanded due to inadequate examination and further development is required.

The Veteran's service connection claims for diabetes mellitus, renal hypertension with nephropathy, bilateral lower extremity peripheral artery disease, and coronary artery disease were granted as presumptive conditions due to herbicide exposure. The effective date of November 21, 2007 is established.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to the Veteran's receipt of Social Security Administration (SSA) disability benefits and outstanding medical records.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected ulcerative colitis, coronary artery disease with diabetic nephropathy and liver disease, status post-transplant were denied. The claim for a separate evaluation for diabetic nephropathy was also denied as it is not permitted due to the close interrelationships between this condition and coronary artery disease.

The Veteran's death was caused by an acute myocardial infarction, diabetes mellitus, and coronary artery disease. The Board found no evidence to support service connection for the cause of his death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran did not have service in Vietnam and therefore cannot be presumed to have been exposed to herbicides. As a result, the claims for diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease (CAD), hypertension, colon cancer, asthma, sleep related alveolar hyperventilation, and hyperlipidemia are denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for heart disease, finding that he did not have a diagnosis of ischemic heart disease and that his claimed condition was not related to military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed disabilities were not incurred in or aggravated by active service, and denied all claims for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's unauthorized private medical expenses incurred from July 17 to July 21, 2011 are granted as reimbursement is warranted given the nature of his condition and treatment.

The Board denied service connection for a sinus disorder and a heart disorder, but granted an earlier effective date of March 6, 2008 for the grant of service connection for a left eyebrow scar.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not currently have ischemic heart disease and therefore, service connection for this condition cannot be granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran was exposed to herbicides while stationed at the Royal Thai Air Force Base in Takhli during his service, and therefore grants service connection for ischemic heart disease and prostate cancer on a presumptive basis.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for coronary artery disease was granted, and the effective date for the grant of service connection for coronary artery disease is set at February 20, 2010.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for additional development and hearing, including addressing the issue of a higher initial rating for PTSD.

The Veteran's death was attributed to metastatic renal cell carcinoma, with significant contributing conditions being heart failure and PTSD. The appellant is seeking service connection for the cause of her husband's death due to ischemic heart disease, which she alleges should have been service-connected based on exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam.

The Board found that the Veteran's heart and lung disorders are not related to service, including exposure to spinal meningitis or radiation. The claims for service connection were denied.

The Board denied the reopening of the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death and also denied entitlement to nonservice-connected death pension benefits due to lack of qualifying service.