Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2015

The Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses is denied because the treatment was not provided in a medical emergency and prior authorization from VA was not obtained.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disorder, finding that his condition was not caused or aggravated by his military service and did not have its onset during service. The Board also found no evidence of herbicide exposure in Vietnam.

The Board has granted service connection for a heart condition, including ischemic heart condition, as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder.

The Board has remanded the case due to non-compliance with previous directives and to ensure all appropriate development has been accomplished. The Veteran's claims for service connection for coronary artery disease, hypertension, polycythemia vera, and erythrocytosis are also being addressed.

The Veteran's heart disability, diagnosed as coronary artery disease, status post myocardial infarction, and status post coronary artery bypass graft, was induced by ionizing radiation exposure during his period of military service. The Board grants entitlement to service connection for the heart disability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disorder, including as due to in-service herbicide exposure and as secondary to diabetes mellitus, is denied. The Board found no current evidence of a myocardial infarction or any other heart disorder during the appeal period.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a new VA examination to address the etiology of any diagnosed cardiovascular pathology and reconcile previous diagnoses.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected right foot fracture and lung disorder, as well as service connection for a vision disorder, were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support the Veteran's assertions of secondary service connection.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70 percent since March 15, 2006. He is also entitled to a TDIU due to his service-connected PTSD.,Service connection for coronary artery disease was granted in July 2011 with an effective date of March 15, 2006. The Veteran's claim for earlier effective dates for both the grant of service connection and Dependents' Educational Assistance under Chapter 35 is denied.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as secondary to service-connected PTSD. The effective date for the grant of service connection for CAD remains April 16, 2001. The Veteran's claim for a higher initial schedular rating for CAD prior to November 9, 2001 is denied.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and examination, including obtaining additional medical records and verifying the appellant's exposure to herbicides in Thailand. The claims for service connection are pending.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and heart disorder are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart disability, including premature ventricular contractions (PVCs)/arrhythmia and sleep apnea. The evidence did not establish that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran was exposed to toxic herbicide during his service in Thailand and/or Vietnam, which is presumed for ischemic heart disease and prostate cancer. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is granted.

The Board has remanded the case for an addendum opinion regarding the cause of death, specifically addressing whether the service-connected gunshot wound residuals and low back disability with radiculopathy, including pain medication use, caused or materially contributed to the Veteran's death.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to his service-connected PTSD and coronary artery disease. The denial is upheld as there was no new evidence presented that would reopen the case.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected adjustment disorder and hypertensive heart disease do not warrant evaluations higher than 30 percent, as his symptoms are not indicative of more severe impairment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been denied. The Board found no competent, credible evidence linking any of the claimed disorders to his military service.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's death and whether his service-connected disabilities contributed to or hastened his death. The appellant claims that her husband was exposed to herbicides during service, had complications from his service-connected conditions, and did not have active cancers prior to his death.

The Veteran's death certificate indicated that acute myocardial infarction was one of the causes of his death, and the evidence supports a finding that he had service in Vietnam during the Vietnam Era. Therefore, the appellant is considered a 'Nehmer class member' and her claim for accrued benefits does not need to be filed within one year of the Veteran's death.