Ischemic heart disease Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the current severity of his service-connected coronary artery disease.

The Veteran's claim for reimbursement of unauthorized medical expenses incurred on September 2, 2010 at Cardiology and Gastroenterology Associates of Myrtle Beach was denied because the care did not meet the criteria for emergency treatment under VA regulations. The services provided were non-emergent follow-up outpatient treatment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's IHD most nearly approximated a disability rating of 60 percent from March 1, 2012 to May 30, 2013. For the initial rating period prior to August 31, 2010 and after May 30, 2013, the Veteran's IHD has been rated at a 30 percent disability level.

The Board has denied the appellant's claims of service connection for various conditions, including meningitis, heart disability, kidney disability, lung disability, back disability, brain damage, and emotional and behavioral problems. The appeal is based on the merits of these claims.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and a medical opinion from a cardiologist. The Veteran's heart disorder is currently diagnosed as valvular heart disease and non-obstructive coronary artery disease with reversible ischemia.

The Veteran's CAD with a history of myocardial infarction, and status post stents is rated at 30 percent since February 23, 2012.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not have active duty of at least 90 days, and thus did not meet the threshold eligibility requirement for nonservice-connected pension benefits.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's ischemic heart disease is presumed to have been incurred in active service due to herbicide exposure during his time stationed at Ubon Air Force Base in Thailand. The condition meets the criteria for a compensable evaluation under VA rating criteria.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for heart disease, hypertension, alcohol abuse, and cirrhosis of the liver. The Veteran's PTSD was granted a 70% rating, but his right ear hearing loss and tinnitus were both rated as noncompensable.

The Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus is granted, and he is also granted service connection for back disorder, heart disorder, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities as secondary to his diabetes mellitus. The exposure basis is Agent Orange.

The Board has granted service connection for lung cancer, coronary artery disease (heart attack), and Type II diabetes mellitus due to herbicide exposure during service in Vietnam.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and service personnel records. The Veteran's claim for reopening a previously denied hypertension claim and his secondary service connection claim for coronary artery disease are pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling her for a cardiac examination to determine the nature and etiology of any current heart disability. Additionally, she needs to be scheduled for an appropriate VA examination to assess the severity of her service-connected postoperative residuals of a right tubal excision for an ectopic pregnancy.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to determine the Veteran's exposure to herbicides and whether his death was related to service-connected conditions or other causes. The case is REMANDED for these actions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for fibromyalgia and depression, as well as her service connection claims for hypertension and coronary artery disease. The decision also noted that she had withdrawn her appeal regarding a rating in excess of 40 percent for fibromyalgia.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including adjudicating a service connection claim and obtaining an adequate opinion on whether the Veteran's heart disorder is related to her period of service or aggravated by her service-connected disorders.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a videoconference hearing before the RO. The issues of service connection for prostate cancer, reopening of previously denied claim for heart disorder, and entitlement to TDIU are pending.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional development regarding transfer of care from a non-VA facility (Munroe Regional Medical Center) to a VA facility.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating and earlier effective date for service connection of coronary artery disease was denied. The Board found that the earliest possible effective date provided by law is July 13, 2010.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board finds no evidence of symptoms warranting a higher rating.