Ischemic heart disease Board decisions

The Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's atherosclerotic coronary artery disease began during service or was caused by hyperlipidemia present during active duty, and grants service connection.

The Board denied service connection for coronary artery disease as it was not shown to be incurred in or aggravated by active service, and was not proximately due to or aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The appeal is remanded to the RO for further development and readjudication of the claims.

The Board concluded that the preponderance of the evidence is against the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, as there was no evidence in the Veteran's extensive medical record that his kidney disease was due to gout medication.

The veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease was denied due to the absence of evidence of current heart disease, but a remand is necessary for an examination and medical opinion.

The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease, status post bypass, associated with hypertension does not warrant a rating in excess of 30 percent from February 23, 2001. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable.

The Board found that new and material evidence had been presented to reopen the claim for DIC based on service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, and granted entitlement to DIC. The claim for Dependents' Educational Assistance under Chapter 35 was also reopened and granted.

The Board remands the claims for further development, including obtaining medical opinions to address whether any of the claimed conditions are related to service or have undergone an increase in severity during active military service.

The Board found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the claim for a heart condition, but did find that new and material evidence had been submitted to reopen the claim for sleep apnea.

The Board granted service connection for mitral valvular heart disease and increased the rating for a pilonidal cyst to 20 percent.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death as there was no competent evidence linking any of his disabilities to his active service or a service-connected disability.

The Board found that the veteran's death was not related to any service-connected disabilities, and denied entitlement to dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) benefits.

The veteran's coronary artery disease and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities do not meet the criteria for higher ratings.

The Board denied service connection for heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine. However, it granted service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) based on new and material evidence.

The Board denied service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, and hypertension as they were not shown to be related to the Veteran's military service or any herbicide exposure.

The appeal is remanded to obtain additional evidence and conduct further development of the claims for service connection for various disabilities.

The veteran's request to reopen the previously disallowed claim of entitlement to service connection for coronary artery disease as secondary to the service connected disability of type II diabetes mellitus due to herbicide exposure is granted, while his request to reopen a previously disallowed claim of entitlement to service connection for hypertension as secondary to the service connected disability of type II diabetes mellitus due to herbicide exposure is denied.

The veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, was reopened and denied. The claims for service connection for diabetic nephropathy, heart disease, and hypertension were also denied.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, a heart condition, and pes planus. The veteran's disability rating for mechanical low back pain was also denied.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for a cardiovascular disorder, left ankle fracture, and left thumb injury. The appeal was granted for tinnitus as it was found to be related to the Veteran's active duty service. Service connection was denied for hypertension and right knee disorder.