Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2014

The Board found that the proximate cause of the Veteran's death was not due to VA treatment, including Dilantin administration, and thus denied DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to inadequate examinations and incomplete evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient rationale provided by the examiner regarding the relationship between the Veteran's hypertension and his service-connected coronary artery disease. The claim will be returned for further development.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease, which is presumed due to his service in Vietnam, contributed to his death from a myocardial infarction. Therefore, the cause of the Veteran's death is considered service-connected.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have been shown to prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic strain of the bilateral inner thighs and a heart disorder, finding no new and material evidence to reopen the claims. The claim for increased rating for mechanical low back pain was also denied.

The Board finds that the Veteran's death was not caused by any service-connected disability, and there is no evidence of radiation or asbestos exposure in service. As such, service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected PTSD contributed substantially to his death from coronary artery disease, and grants service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death. The claim for dependency and indemnity compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete service records and exposure history.

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to be incurred in service, and he is granted service connection for this condition. The issue of an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for coronary artery disease has been remanded due to the need for a new VA examination. The claim for skin cancer as secondary to herbicide exposure remains pending.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred from May 5, 2010 to May 6, 2010 are denied as the treatment was not for an emergency and VA facilities were feasibly available.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from engaging in substantially gainful employment of a sedentary nature during the period January 1, 2008 to August 30, 2010.

The Board has granted service connection for OSA, heart condition (non-ischemic cardiomyopathy), and kidney disease (diabetic nephropathy) as secondary to service-connected disabilities. The Veteran's left knee degenerative joint disease is also granted but with a current rating of 10% since May 17, 2011.

The Veteran's appeal includes claims for service connection for various conditions, and the Board has determined that these claims are inextricably intertwined with other issues. The case is therefore REMANDED to schedule a videoconference hearing before the undersigned VLJ.

The Board has denied the reopening of claims for service connection for various conditions, including back disability, hypertension, eye condition, diabetes mellitus, stroke, heart condition, and high cholesterol. The appeals were withdrawn before a decision was made.

The Veteran seeks a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities. The Board is unable to determine whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unemployable due to lack of consideration in the current evidence of record and remands for further examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to non-compliance with previous directives, and a new VA examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's current heart murmur disorder had its onset in service or is otherwise related to active military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete medical opinions and unaddressed VA treatment records.

The Veteran is seeking an earlier effective date for a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities. The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration.

The Veteran seeks service connection for a heart disorder, specifically coronary artery disease with reversible ischemia. The Board finds that a VA examination is needed to determine the onset and relationship of his current condition to military service.