Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2014

The Board found that the Veteran did not have actual exposure to herbicides in service, and thus denied his claims for service connection for the cause of death due to arteriosclerotic heart disease and coronary artery disease, as well as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure, and hyperthyroidism.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations. The appeal will be remanded to the AOJ.

The Board found no evidence of a heart disability during service and denied the claim as not related to active duty.

The Veteran's scars associated with his coronary artery bypass grafting are painful and sensitive, resulting in a rating of 20 percent effective August 31, 2011.

The Board found that the Veteran's current heart disability is less likely as not caused by or a result of his active duty service. The evidence does not show that hypertension manifested within one year of separation from service, and there are no in-service findings related to eye disabilities. As such, the claims for these conditions were denied.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred at a private medical facility in July 2011 are granted as the criteria for reimbursement under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1728 have been met.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development due to the need to obtain medical records from his incarceration period and clarify the status of certain medical records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for a VA examination to determine if he has current diagnoses of hairy or B cell leukemias (claimed as anemia) and ischemic heart disease (claimed as atrioventricular block).

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a medical review of the Veteran's cause of death and whether any service-connected conditions contributed to his death. The appellant is seeking service connection for the cause of her husband's death, which was attributed to heart disease.

The Board found that the Veteran's cardiac arrhythmia with CAD was not incurred in or related to his active service and denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and providing an opinion on whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities aggravated his cardiovascular disease.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome has been reopened and granted. Service connection is also established for ischemic heart disease, which was diagnosed during active duty.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for high glucose, coagulopathy (claimed as excessive bleeding), bilateral hearing loss, and ischemic heart disease status post coronary artery bypass have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection on any of these issues.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease, including coronary artery disease, is presumed to have been incurred in service due to herbicide exposure during his Vietnam-era service.

The Board has remanded the claims due to insufficient medical opinions and additional records needed.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the lower and upper extremities, hypertension, coronary artery disease, and left knee disorder have all been denied as they are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease is currently rated at 30 percent effective December 12, 2011. Prior to that date, the rating was 10 percent.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that hepatocellular carcinoma was not related to his military service and ischemic heart disease did not contribute substantially or materially to his death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's myxomatous valve disease, which manifested during service and was not properly diagnosed at the time, is related to his military service. The Board also found no evidence of coronary artery disease or hyperlipidemia being incurred in service.

The Board has characterized the propriety of the reduction issue as encompassing entitlement to an increased rating post-reduction (the Veteran's attorney argued in a 2012 substantive appeal that the prostate cancer residuals warranted a 60 percent rating). The effective date for the grant of service connection for ischemic heart disease is being REMANDED to the Agency of Original Jurisdiction.