Ischemic heart disease Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and coronary heart disease, both secondary to his PTSD, are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and consideration of new evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran did not serve in Vietnam and thus no presumption of exposure to herbicides applies. The claims for service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus, hypertension, peripheral neuropathy, coronary artery disease, and cerebral vascular disease have been denied as there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including verifying herbicide exposure and obtaining a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's peripheral neuropathy is related to service.

The Veteran's appeal was denied as his service-connected residuals of a hernia do not warrant an increased rating or earlier effective date. The Board found that the current evaluation adequately reflects the severity of his disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is entitled to service connection for ischemic heart disease, diagnosed as coronary heart disease, status post-acute myocardial infarction, due to exposure to herbicides during active service.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for arthritis of the spine and muscle and joint deterioration have been withdrawn. The Board has also remanded his claims for increased rating for lumbar laminectomy and discectomy, bilateral hearing loss, and service connection for a heart condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's coronary artery disease and hypertension are related to his presumed exposure to Agent Orange during service, warranting service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease, finding that the current condition is at least as likely as not related to service. Service connection was denied for diabetes mellitus type II.

The Board finds that the Veteran's coronary artery disease, status post myocardial infarction, was not incurred or aggravated in service and may not be presumed to have been incurred therein.

The Board denied service connection for all claimed conditions, including acquired heart disease, COPD, neck disability, back disability, and psychiatric disorder. The reasons were that the evidence did not support a finding of in-service incurrence or aggravation of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development and a need for further examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's heart disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for cause of death, compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for cause of death, and entitlement to service connection for hepatitis for accrued benefits purposes.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's coronary artery disease is related to his active service and grants service connection for this condition. The skin disorder claim requires further development as it involves a recent onset of symptoms not previously associated with service.

The Veteran incurred unauthorized private medical expenses for treatment of a heart disorder from September 6, 2006 to September 8, 2006. The Board found that the emergency treatment was necessary due to sudden and severe symptoms, which were not previously addressed by VA. As such, payment or reimbursement is granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and increased disability evaluation for a heart condition were denied. The Board found that there was no evidence of a current disability, or any link between the claimed conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's service records reflect exposure to herbicides during his Vietnam service. Service connection is granted for coronary artery disease due to such exposure, but hypertension is not among the diseases presumed to be related to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for hypothyroidism and a heart condition, claimed as due to exposure to ionizing radiation. The Board finds that additional development is needed to determine if the Veteran was exposed to ionizing radiation during service and whether his current conditions are related to such exposure.

The Veteran's death was caused by pneumonia, but there is no evidence linking any of the listed conditions to his service. The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death and also denied claims for accrued benefits.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease is presumed to be related to his in-service herbicide exposure, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran is granted service connection for aggravation of a heart disability and an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine with headaches prior to November 26, 2007. From that date, he is entitled to an initial rating in excess of 20 percent.