Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2015

The Board found that the Veteran's diagnosed non-ischemic cardiomyopathy, atrial fibrillation, premature ventricular contractions and hypertension disabilities are not enumerated diseases associated with Agent Orange exposure. The central matter in this case is whether either the Veteran's documented heart disease are manifestations of ischemic heart disease or he otherwise has ischemic heart disease.

The Board found that the Veteran's heart disorder is not causally or etiologically related to his military service and did not manifest within one year of discharge, thus denying service connection.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected condition, and his eligibility for educational assistance under Chapter 35 of the United States Code is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining in-patient hospitalization records from April 1970 and private treatment records. The AOJ will also consider all evidence of record and readjudicate the issues on appeal.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to a full grant of benefits by the RO in February 2015.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, Type II. The Veteran's other claims are pending and will be readjudicated after obtaining any outstanding VA treatment records.

The Board has determined that the effective date for the grant of service connection for arteriosclerotic coronary artery disease cannot be prior to August 26, 2010 as no claim was received before this date. The Veteran's first and only claim for service connection was filed on August 26, 2010.

The Veteran's hyperlipidemia was not found to be a disability for VA purposes, but service connection is granted for coronary artery disease as it is related to his in-service hyperlipidemia.

The Veteran's appeal for an effective date prior to May 24, 2008 for the award of service connection for coronary artery disease (CAD) has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's hypertension and heart disorder are not related to service, including in-service chemical exposure.,The Veteran's fibromyalgia is currently diagnosed but the relationship to service is unclear.

The Board is remanding the case for further development to obtain additional medical records and to provide a VA medical opinion regarding the Veteran's cause of death. The issues are whether service connection can be established for the cause of the Veteran's death, and whether DIC benefits pursuant to 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 should be granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a Travel Board hearing and for issuance of a Statement of the Case on the TDIU claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for foot fungus, rheumatoid arthritis, and heart condition (claimed as atrial fibrillation) have been denied. The Board found no current disability for the claimed conditions and insufficient evidence to establish a link between any diagnosed condition and military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have precluded him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation for the entire period on appeal, and the Board has granted TDIU benefits.

The Veteran's claim is being remanded for additional development of his VA and private treatment records from April 1998 to November 2003, as well as a retrospective medical evaluation.

The Veteran's death was caused by coronary artery disease, which substantially contributed to his sudden death syndrome. Service connection for the cause of death is granted.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date and increased ratings for his service-connected coronary artery disease (CAD) was denied. The Board found that the earliest effective date for CAD is August 31, 2010, based on a liberalizing law. From October 1, 2010 to March 6, 2011, he received a 10% rating; from March 7, 2011 forward, he receives a 60% rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease was denied and the effective date assigned is June 16, 2005.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and information from Social Security Administration.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected ischemic heart disease and considering his claim for TDIU.