Ischemic heart disease Board decisions

The Veteran's coronary artery disease is currently evaluated at a 10 percent rating, effective from December 8, 2003. The Board finds that the criteria for a higher rating are not met.

The Veteran's cause of death is presumed to have been incurred in service due to his severe coronary artery disease, which was found to be a direct result of his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to address the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and heart disorder. The issues are related to whether these conditions are linked to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's complaints of difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, and chest pain do not meet the criteria for service connection due to lack of a clinically significant heart abnormality.

The Veteran's cause of death, arteriosclerotic heart disease, is presumed to be due to exposure to Agent Orange during service. The Board grants service connection for the cause of death.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a cardiac disability, ischemic heart disease, was granted on a presumptive basis due to exposure to herbicides. The reduction in the disability rating for residuals of prostate cancer from 100 percent to 60 percent was upheld as appropriate given the circumstances.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical records from Dr. Richard L. Wright and ensuring all issues are addressed properly.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is related to his service-connected coronary artery disease with prior myocardial infarction and remanded for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a heart disorder and peripheral neuropathy, lipoma, rashes, diabetes mellitus, and residuals of a laminectomy, all due to in-service herbicide exposure. The effective dates were not addressed.

The case is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and scheduling the Veteran for a VA examination to determine the etiology of his heart disability.

The Veteran's claim for residuals of a shrapnel wound of the buttocks has been denied. His claims for heart disability, pes planus, cold weather injuries of the feet, and residuals of a shrapnel wound of the right foot are pending.

The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to his diabetes mellitus, type II and ischemic heart disease (including diagnosed coronary artery disease, atherosclerotic heart disease, and myocardial infarctions), which are presumed to be related to herbicide exposure in Vietnam. These conditions contributed to his untimely death.

The Veteran's service connection claims for a heart condition, hypertension, and gastrointestinal disorder were denied initially. However, the case is being remanded to schedule the Veteran for VA examinations to determine the nature and likely etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 50 percent, and a claim of entitlement to service connection for heart disease has been referred to the AOJ. The TDIU issue remains pending.

The Board found that the Veteran did not have coronary artery disease or hypertension during his periods of active duty, and thus denied service connection for these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for arteriosclerotic heart disease as secondary to service-connected sleep apnea.,However, the Board denied service connection for residuals of a cerebrovascular accident with right side weakness as not related to service-connected sleep apnea.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records from the Miami VAMC and Dr. Jarrtte Wentworth, and the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart condition remains pending.

The Board has reopened the appellant's claim and determined that there is sufficient evidence to establish a connection between the Veteran's death and his presumed in-service herbicide exposure, which contributed to his death. The service-connected disabilities did not cause or contribute substantially to his death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's coronary artery disease first manifested during active service and grants his claim for service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's heart disease did not manifest during service or within one year of separation, and there was no evidence of a chronic condition in service. The Board also determined that the Veteran's current heart disease is not proximately due to his service-connected PTSD.