Ischemic heart disease Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, based on the presumption of exposure to herbicide agents during service. The Veteran's ischemic heart disease and hypertension are not addressed as they were not part of the original claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including visual disability, arthritis of the feet (gout), fractured ankles, prostate cancer, heart disability, and COPD, were denied as there is no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that there is a need for further development to determine if the Veteran's rheumatoid arthritis or its treatment contributed to his death, and whether it was more likely than not that these conditions were related to his service-connected condition.

The Veteran's PTSD is found to be related to his combat experiences during service, and the claim for service connection is granted. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, low back disability, heart disease (due to herbicide exposure), and hypertension are not addressed as they do not involve service connection.

The Board has determined that there is no valid diagnosis of PTSD, and the Veteran's current psychiatric disabilities are not related to service. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was denied, and his claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for coronary artery disease is also denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran's current tinnitus or coronary artery disease were related to military service.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's heart condition as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, Type II. The issues of hypertension and diabetic retinopathy with cataracts are addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery heart disease, finding no competent medical evidence showing a direct or secondary relationship to his military service.

The Board denied the claims for service connection for the cause of death, nonservice-connected death pension benefits, and accrued benefits due to lack of evidence linking the Veteran's death to his service or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for ischemic heart disease and polyneuropathy were not pending at the time of his death, so he is not entitled to accrued benefits in excess of $4330.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's heart disability and hypertension are related to his military service, including presumed herbicide exposure. As a result, both conditions have been granted service connection.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for heart disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy were denied. The Board found that the criteria for higher ratings had not been met during the relevant periods.

The Board has determined that the Veteran was on inactive duty with the Oregon ANG during the relevant time period for his claimed heart attack, and thus he did not have active service or INACDUTRA at the time of his myocardial infarction. As a result, the claim for service connection for CAD status post-myocardial infarction is denied.

The Veteran does not have coronary artery disease, a blood disability, or a skin disability that is related to his service. The Board finds the evidence against the claims outweighs the Veteran's contentions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection on a direct and secondary basis are denied as there is no competent evidence of record showing that any claimed conditions were incurred or aggravated by active service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for degenerative joint disease of the right knee, a heart disorder, and hypothyroidism. The evidence does not support these claims as they are not related to his military service.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to determine if the veteran's coronary artery disease, including as secondary to his service-connected PTSD, was incurred in or aggravated by military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's heart disability was not incurred in or aggravated by his service and denied the claim.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected condition, and his claims for service connection were denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to care for daily personal needs without regular assistance from others or to protect himself from the hazards and dangers of his daily environment, meeting the criteria for special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance.