Ischemic heart disease Board decisions

The Board found no evidence of diabetes mellitus during service and denied the Veteran's claims for service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination and medical opinion regarding the etiology of all claimed conditions.

The Veteran's heart disability is not service-connected, but he was granted compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for the heart failure with resultant pacemaker implantation due to treatment at a VA facility in September 1999.

The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease (CAD) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected chronic anxiety reaction, moderate, major depressive disorder, and diabetes mellitus.

The Board found no evidence of current disabilities and concluded that the Veteran did not have any of the claimed conditions during his service.

The case is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and clarifying the appellant's attorney's comments.

The Veteran's initial rating for ischemic heart disease is denied as his condition does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder including PTSD, a heart disorder to include coronary artery disease and ischemic heart disease, migraine headaches, and a disability manifested by dizziness.,The Veteran's claims were not supported by the evidence of record.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and readjudication of all issues on appeal, including service connection claims and a claim for an increased rating for PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for coronary artery disease and hypertension has been granted, with the effective date being May 29, 2007. The Veteran is now rated at 60 percent for his coronary artery disease.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and for a VA examination. The claim will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable due to his service-connected conditions, as he is currently enrolled in full-time college and has a high school education with one year of college. His service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board finds that the VA facilities are geographically accessible and capable of providing the required care, thus denying the Veteran's claim for fee basis medical care.

The Veteran's service-connected ischemic heart disease is rated at 60 percent and has rendered him unable to work since September 27, 2000. The Board finds that a TDIU is warranted from this date.

The Veteran's respiratory symptoms are attributed to COPD, not asbestosis. The Board denied service connection for asbestosis and related conditions due to lack of evidence linking the current disability to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is aggravated by his service-connected depression and other service-connected disabilities, warranting service connection for this condition. The heart disease claim remains pending as it was not addressed in the remand.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's coronary artery disease is related to his military service and grants the claim.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a new VA examination to address whether the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus aggravated his coronary artery disease and peripheral vascular diseases of the lower extremities. The issue of entitlement to a higher evaluation for renal insufficiency from September 24, 2004 is also remanded.

The Board is considering whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen claims for service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus, scleredema of the back, coronary artery disease, hypertension, blindness due to diabetic retinopathy, and a bilateral foot disorder. The appeal involves determining if these conditions are related to exposure to herbicide.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development by the AMC.