Ischemic heart disease Board decisions

The appellant's income exceeded the maximum annual pension rate for a surviving spouse with no dependents, resulting in denial of death pension benefits.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, and heart disability are pending. The Board finds the preponderance of evidence against these claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining outstanding VA treatment records and service personnel records.

The Board found that the Veteran's heart disorder existed prior to service and was not aggravated by active service, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's appeal to determine if he currently has a chronic heart disorder and whether it is related to his service or any other condition. The Veteran will be scheduled for a VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disability is still pending. The left ankle disability claim was previously denied and remains closed.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a new examination to assess his employability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for heart disability, bilateral shoulder arthritis, and bilateral hand arthritis. The claim for service connection for a colon disorder is not addressed in this decision.

The Veteran's service-connected heart condition effectively prevents him from ambulating without the aid of a wheelchair, which constitutes loss of use of both feet. Therefore, he is entitled to financial assistance in purchasing an automobile or adaptive equipment.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease was manifested by complaints of dyspnea on exertion, some left ventricular hypertrophy, and moderate to severe aortic stenosis. The evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating as it did not show marked enlargement of the heart or more than light manual labor being precluded.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to the Veteran's homelessness and lack of contact with his representative.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the increased rating for arteriosclerotic heart disease (AHD).

The Veteran's arteriosclerotic heart disease and resulting heart transplant are found to be related to service and contributed substantially to his death.

The Veteran's CFS, respiratory disability, heart disability, intestinal disability, bilateral shoulder disability, acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression and anxiety), headaches, arthritis of all joints, and fibromyalgia were not related to service.,Service connection for hypertension was granted but the rating assigned is noncompensable (zero percent).,The Veteran's lumbar spine strain with degenerative disc disease currently manifests as pain and minimal limitation of motion.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen claims for service connection for various conditions, including scleroderma of the back, coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus with complications, and anatomical loss of both feet. The effective dates for these benefits have also been adjusted. However, the issues involving PTSD remain on appeal.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, and a heart disorder, to include HTN. The decision also addressed his claim for TDIU but did not specify whether it was granted or denied.

The Veteran's left knee disorder is related to her in-service complaints, and she has been granted service connection for this condition. The heart disorder is secondary to hypertension, but the examiner must determine if it was aggravated by active duty. The bilateral foot disorder may be due to surgery during active duty, and the nasal and eye disorders are likely due to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for examinations to determine if his current conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease has not manifested more than one episode of acute congestive heart failure in the past year, or a workload of greater than 5 METs but not greater than 7 METs results in dyspnea, fatigue, angina, dizziness, or syncope. The left ventricular dysfunction with an ejection fraction of 68 percent is well over the required threshold for a higher rating.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease, status post coronary artery bypass graft, is rated at 30 percent prior to March 9, 2006 and at 60 percent thereafter. The Board found that the criteria for a higher rating were not met in either period.