Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2015

The Veteran claims service connection for a heart disorder, specifically arrhythmia. The VA examiner found no evidence of service onset or relationship to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for ischemic heart disease and an initial rating for PTSD have been denied as there is no current diagnosis of these conditions.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current heart condition and thus cannot establish service connection for this disability.

The Board found no evidence of a seizure disorder in the Veteran's medical records and concluded that his passing out episodes are related to his service-connected heart condition. Therefore, service connection for a seizure disorder is not established.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for coronary artery disease, prostate cancer, hypertension, residuals of left broken collar bone, and left hip scarring. The evidence did not establish that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by active service, including exposure to herbicides.

The Veteran's CAD is rated at 60 percent, meeting the criteria for a TDIU due to his combined disability rating of 90 percent. The initial evaluation in excess of 60 percent for CAD remains denied.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Baptist Medical Center on February 3, 2010 are now covered by VA as the treatment was for a service-connected condition and no other conditions.

The Veteran's surviving spouse was substituted as the claimant for his pending claims of service connection for respiratory disability, chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular disability, and hypertension. The Board found that these conditions are related to in-service exposure to carbon tetrachloride.

The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of ischemic heart disease or Parkinson's disease.,The Veteran's high cholesterol is considered a laboratory finding and not a disability for which service connection may be granted.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than November 6, 2003 for service connection of Ischemic Heart Disease was denied as he did not file any claims prior to this date.

The Board denied the appellant's application to reopen her claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that new and material evidence had not been submitted. The causes of the Veteran's death were not related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU.

The Veteran seeks payment or reimbursement for medical expenses incurred at a non-VA hospital on June 17, 2012. The Board has determined that the case should be remanded to determine if the services provided were of such a nature that delay would have been hazardous to life or health and whether VA facilities were feasibly available.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for scheduling a video conference with the appellant and then returning the claims file for further action.

The Board has found that the Veteran's current heart disorder is not related to his military service, including presumed exposure to herbicides. The medical evidence does not support a finding of service connection for this condition.

The Board has decided that additional development is needed for the Veteran's heart disability claim, including obtaining a supplemental opinion to determine if his current heart disability is related to service or secondary to a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's death is being reviewed to determine if any service-connected conditions contributed to his cause of death, including exposure to herbicides and use of prescribed medications.

The Veteran's cause of death, biventricular heart failure due to coronary artery disease and atrial fibrillation, was not caused by or a result of his service-connected PTSD. The Board found no evidence linking the Veteran's coronary artery disease and atrial fibrillation to his active service.

The Board denied service connection for seminoma of the left testicle, heart disease, diabetes mellitus (Type 2), hypertension, an acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD, GAD and MDD, and sleep apnea. The reduction in the evaluation of service-connected bilateral hearing loss from 10 percent disabling to noncompensable was also denied.

The Veteran's symptoms of congestive heart failure, left ventricular dysfunction with an ejection fraction less than 30 percent, and placement of an implantable cardioverter defibrillator were not due to rheumatic heart disease. The Board found the opinion of the VA C&P examiner more probative than that of Dr. RBR.