Ischemic heart disease Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining a VA examination to assess the presence and etiology of any lung disability and heart disability. The claims will be re-adjudicated after this development.

The Board found no evidence of a heart disorder related to service or any incident therein, nor is it related to his service-connected lumbar spine disability. The Veteran's current heart disorder and aortaloic calcification are considered separate issues.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, hypertension, and coronary artery disease were partially granted. Service connection was established for PTSD with a rating of 30 percent effective from October 11, 2004.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection are denied as there is no evidence of a claim prior to January 14, 2005.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for a heart disability and found that new evidence submitted by the Veteran is sufficient to reopen the claim. The current medical evidence indicates that the Veteran currently suffers from heart disease, but there is no direct evidence linking this condition to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus. The issue of entitlement to service connection for coronary artery disease, claimed as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus, remains pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected PTSD aggravates his heart disease, and a definitive medical opinion is needed on this question.

The Veteran's service connection claim for coronary artery disease, gallstones, pancreatitis, cholecystectomy, diabetes mellitus, scars, and gastroesophageal reflux disease is granted. The issue of service connection for hemorrhoids has been withdrawn.

The Veteran's Type II Diabetes Mellitus, Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), and Hypertension are presumed to have been incurred in service. The Board granted the claims for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including arteriosclerotic heart disease with myocardial infarction, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, insomnia, right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, headaches, shortness of breath or respiratory disease, circulatory insufficiency of the legs and feet (peripheral vascular disease), bilateral ankle edema, blurry vision, and gout were denied as there is no evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed conditions, finding that they were not related to his military service and did not arise from herbicide exposure in Vietnam.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's coronary artery disease is not proximately due to or the result of his service-connected PTSD.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his death was not caused by a service-connected disability and that no service-connected disability contributed to or hastened his death.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, leading to the grant of TDIU effective May 17, 2005.

The Veteran's nonservice-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly pension based on need for aid and attendance of another person or housebound status.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, a psychiatric disability, heart disability, pancreatitis, and hypertension. The evidence did not corroborate the claimed in-service stressors or show that any of these conditions were related to military service.

The Veteran's death is being reviewed for possible service connection, and the DIC claim is inextricably intertwined with this issue. The Board requires a VA medical opinion to determine if any of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities contributed to his death.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate reasons and bases for denying service connection, including a need for VA examinations.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for hypertension with cardiomegaly is being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and examination.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for heart disease and remanded both issues on appeal, including a potential secondary service connection issue. Additional evidence is needed to determine the appropriate rating for PTSD and whether heart disease is related to service-connected PTSD.