Ischemic heart disease Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for peptic ulcer disease and denied service connection for ischemic heart disease, formerly characterized as angina pectoris.

The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to his liver cirrhosis and coronary artery disease, which are related to his active duty service. The appeal as to DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 is dismissed as moot.

The Board has granted special monthly pension based on the need for regular aid and attendance, finding that the Veteran requires assistance with bathing, grooming, dressing, meal preparation, housework, shopping, and preparing food.

The Veteran's cause of death was cardiorespiratory arrest due to cerebrovascular accident and hypertensive atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.,VA denied the appellant's claims for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death and for nonservice-connected death pension benefits.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for the issues of hypertension, heart disability, stomach disability, and chronic bronchitis. The remaining claims are dismissed.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the inextricability of his diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and circulatory disorder claims with his heart disorder claim. The RO must adjudicate these issues and then readjudicate the heart disorder claim.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease is aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and the Board has granted secondary service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus. The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee disorders, migraine headaches, bilateral ankle disorders, bilateral shoulder disorders, a heart disorder, and a skin rash affecting the face, neck, and groin area are denied.

The Board found no evidence of heart disease or hypertension being incurred in service and not related to diabetes mellitus. The Veteran's claims for secondary service connection were denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and seeking clinical examination to determine whether the Veteran's current cardiac disorders are related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's pneumonia did not result in any chronic residuals and his current coronary artery disease, bypass grafting, and pacemaker placement are unrelated to service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities require the regular aid and attendance of another person to perform activities of daily living and protect him from daily life hazards.

The Veteran died from coronary artery disease and was not receiving VA compensation or pension benefits at the time of his death. Therefore, he is not eligible for non-service connected burial benefits.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical opinions on service connection and aid and attendance.

The Board has ordered additional development to determine if the Veteran experienced additional disability due to a December 2002 VA cervical spine tumor resection surgery, and whether informed consent was obtained in compliance with regulations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and higher initial ratings were denied. The heart disorder claim was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability. The diabetes mellitus claim resulted in a 10% rating, which is the maximum allowed under the criteria. The left and right lower extremity neuropathy claims were granted with each receiving a 20% rating.

The Board has granted restoration of a 60% disability rating for rheumatic heart disease, TDIU, and basic eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits.

The Veteran's cardiac disorder may be due to or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD, but the current evidence is insufficient to determine this with certainty. The case is being remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran does not currently have a heart disability for purposes of service connection.

The Board has determined that additional action is required due to the possibility of missing records from the Palo Alto VA Medical Center. The case will be remanded for clarification and further review.