Ischemic heart disease Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to new evidence received and for a VA medical examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need to obtain additional medical records and conduct further examinations. The Veteran's claims for service connection are being reviewed, as well as his claim for an initial compensable disability evaluation for bilateral pes planus.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including obstructive sleep apnea, coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus with diabetic retinopathy and cataracts, lumbar strain, diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, hypertension, and sciatic radiculopathy, require him to use a wheelchair for mobility. As such, he is eligible for specially adapted housing.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for cardiomyopathy and coronary artery disease, finding that new evidence supports a secondary service connection based on hypertension. The decision grants this claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, and a heart disability. The appeal is not about exposure to herbicides or other presumptive conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU was denied in April 2005, and the RO found that he did not meet the schedular criteria for TDIU at any time prior to August 2, 2007. The effective date of the denial is therefore August 2, 2007.

The Veteran's initial ratings for coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus type II have been denied as his conditions do not meet the criteria for higher ratings under the applicable rating schedule.

The Veteran's service-connected rheumatic heart disease with severe mitral valve stenosis, status post mitral replacement alone does not prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease, and as a result, the remaining issues of right leg neuropathy and left leg neuropathy are remanded to determine if they are secondary to the service-connected coronary artery disease.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for asthma, heart disease, and shoulder disorders are being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the relationship between his service-connected schizophrenia and these conditions.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected condition, and the claims for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1310 and accrued benefits were denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea was not shown to be related to his service-connected coronary artery disease, and thus denied his claim for secondary service connection.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral defective hearing, hypertension, and heart disease secondary to hypertension due to lack of evidence showing a nexus between these conditions and service.

The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a heart condition, and low back and neck disabilities. Service connection was not established for the liver condition or hearing loss.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease and hypertension, status post pacemaker implant and aortic valve replacement were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The Board found no evidence of such conditions during service or within one year after separation.

The Veteran's cause of death was not related to his military service, and there were no pending claims for accrued benefits at the time of his death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's ischemic heart disease, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction are related to his service-connected conditions. The decision is mixed as it finds some evidence supporting the claims but also acknowledges equipoise in others.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death, arteriosclerotic heart disease resulting in coronary insufficiency and myocardial failure, was not caused by or substantially contributed to his death by a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's service-connected cardiovascular disease was granted an increased rating to 60 percent effective June 20, 2007. The case is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's status post coronary artery bypass graft is currently evaluated at 60 percent disabling, which meets the criteria for a 100 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 7017. The claims for increased evaluations of his degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine are denied as they do not meet the criteria for higher ratings.