Ischemic heart disease Board decisions

The Board has decided that additional development is necessary due to the lack of service treatment records from Fort Gordon. The Veteran's heart condition, including his implantable pacemaker and heart murmur, will be reviewed again with consideration of these new records.

The Veteran's service-connected ischemic heart disease and tinnitus, which arose from combat action in Vietnam, meet the criteria for a TDIU rating as of January 14, 2010.

The Board has determined that the appellant's ischemic heart disease, diagnosed as atherosclerotic heart disease of native and bypass coronary arteries, was incurred in service. The issue of entitlement to service connection for a psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD) is remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's death was caused by his service-connected PTSD, which is a direct result of his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate notice provided in previous correspondence, and the appellant is required to provide new evidence that would allow for reopening of her service connection claim.

The Veteran's effective date for the award of total disability rating based on individual unemployability is set at March 20, 2006, as this was within one year prior to his formal claim and it became factually ascertainable that he was unemployable due to service-connected ischemic heart disease.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for back disorder, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, peripheral neuropathy of bilateral hands and feet, and cardiovascular disease. The evidence did not establish a nexus between these conditions and service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease, including as due to herbicide exposure, is being remanded for additional development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional medical records from a private physician. The current rating of 10 percent for arteriosclerotic heart disease is under review.

The Board found that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease were not incurred or aggravated by his service, as there was no evidence of such diseases during service. The acquired psychiatric disorder was diagnosed during the appeal period but the examiner could not determine if it was caused or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's appeal was granted, with a 70% rating for PTSD and a TDIU. The initial 30 percent ratings for CAD remain unchanged.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the death of the appellant, and thus no jurisdiction remains to adjudicate the merits of the case.

The Veteran does not have a current cardiac disability, including ischemic heart disease and a heart murmur, that is related to service. The Board finds no evidence of such disabilities in service or continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Veteran's heart disability, specifically ischemic cardiomyopathy with an automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator, was found to have an ejection fraction consistently below 30 percent during the period from January 1, 1993, to February 24, 1998. As a result, the Board granted a schedular maximum evaluation of 100% for this period.

The Veteran claims service connection for a heart disability, which he contends is due to herbicide exposure while serving aboard the USS Chara. The Board has ordered additional deck logs from the USS Chara and requests for medical records from various providers.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for diabetes and coronary artery disease, which he claims are secondary to medications prescribed for his service-connected schizophrenia. The Board has determined that additional medical examination and opinion are necessary in this case.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death is related to his active military service due to ischemic heart disease, which was presumed to be caused by herbicide exposure. The Board also found that the ischemic heart disease contributed to the cause of death.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain updated VA treatment records and a VA psychiatric examination to assess the severity of his service-connected PTSD. The examiner will also address the functional impairment caused by both PTSD and ischemic heart disease.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease is granted as service connected, with no specific rating assigned and effective date not specified.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as 50 percent disabling.,He does not have additional disability, including of the heart, due to VA prescribed medication.