Ischemic heart disease Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not result in his need for regular aid and attendance, including the inability to dress or undress himself, the inability to attend to his hygiene, the need to frequently adjust any special prosthetic or orthopedic appliance, the inability to feed himself or attend to the wants of nature, the incapacity to protect himself from hazards or dangers incident to his daily environment; and the Veteran is not bedridden.

The Veteran's service connection claims for heart disorder, anemia, lung disorder to include shortness of breath, stroke, and numbness on the right side are granted as these conditions are presumed due to herbicide exposure. Service connection is also granted for diabetes mellitus type II secondary to hypertension.

The Veteran seeks reimbursement for unauthorized medical expenses incurred at St. Mary's Hospital between January 29, 2010 and February 16, 2010. The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine if VA facilities were feasibly available for the treatment on those dates.

The Veteran's death was caused by arteriosclerotic heart disease, which is presumed to be due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam. Therefore, the criteria for service connection have been met and the claim is granted.

The Veteran's appeal for a disability rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus, to include restoration of a 40 percent disability rating, has been withdrawn. The Board also dismissed the claim for TDIU benefits as there is no evidence that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unemployable.

The Board found that the Veteran's cardiovascular disorders, including coronary artery disease and angina, were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The heart murmur observed during his active duty was determined to be a transient condition.

The Veteran died from metatastic gastric carcinoma, with other conditions contributing to death. The cause of death is not service-connected due to lack of evidence and the issue remains pending for further review.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his heart condition and hearing loss are being remanded due to the need for additional development of the record.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's heart condition and right ear hearing loss are not service-connected, with no compensable rating assigned for his right ear hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current atypical chest pain is less likely as not caused by or the result of his active duty service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board found no current residuals of the shell fragment wound of the neck and denied service connection for all issues. The Veteran's claims were not related to any inservice injury or exposure.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to assess the current severity of his diabetes mellitus and whether coronary artery disease is secondary to or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The issue of service connection for coronary artery disease will also be addressed.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current heart disorder and denied his claims for service connection for a heart disorder as secondary to hypertension, as well as his claim for an increased rating for hypertension.

The Veteran's gastroesophageal disorder is not service-connected, and the issues of service connection for hypertension and diabetes mellitus are denied.,Service connection was granted for tinnitus with a 10% rating effective March 6, 2004. The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a Travel Board hearing. The issues of service connection are not addressed as they have been referred back to the RO.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and a VA examination to determine the etiology of any identified gastrointestinal disorder.

The Board has awarded a 100 percent rating for service-connected coronary artery disease (CAD) effective from December 18, 2007. The Veteran's depression is secondary to his service-connected CAD.

The Board found no evidence of a service-connected condition that caused or contributed to the Veteran's death, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of his death.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to the death of the appellant, and no jurisdiction remains for the Board to adjudicate the merits of these claims.

The Veteran's combined disability rating for service-connected conditions is at least 60%, which meets the schedular criteria for a TDIU. The Board finds that the Veteran is unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities, including diabetes mellitus and its associated peripheral neuropathy.