Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2012

The Board has remanded the case for further development and examination, including verification of asbestos exposure during service and evaluation of current respiratory conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's coronary artery bypass surgery did not require convalescence beyond November 1, 2007 and thus a temporary total rating is denied.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claims of service connection for a back disability, left rotator cuff tear, and hypertension. The decision remains undecided on whether new and material evidence was received to reopen his claim of service connection for a left knee disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for further development of his claim for service connection for hypertension, secondary to PTSD, coronary artery disease, and/or peripheral vascular disease. The case will be returned to the Board after this development.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not restrict him to his dwelling or immediate premises, and the Board finds that he is not housebound due to his service-connected conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's heart disorder, other than Wolff Parkinson White Syndrome, is not related to his military service and cannot be presumed to have been incurred or aggravated in service. The Board also determined that the heart disorder is not due to, the result of, or aggravated by his service-connected anxiety disorder.

The Veteran's heart disease and hypertension were not found to warrant higher ratings prior to March 25, 2009 or since.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, and the Board has granted a 70 percent rating. The issues of increased evaluations for his other service-connected conditions are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the award of increased ratings for heart disease and TDIU was denied as no earlier informal claim was received, and it was not factually ascertainable that he first met the criteria for a higher rating during the year prior to filing his claim.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU from May 19, 2008 to June 10, 2010 due to his service-connected PTSD preventing him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his left knee disability, low back disability, left hip bursitis, PTSD, and CAD were granted. He is now entitled to a separate 10 percent rating for arthritis in the left knee since October 2009.

The Veteran's service connection for organic heart disease with proximal atrial fibrillation and mitral valve prolapse is protected, as it has been in place for more than ten years. The Veteran's hypertensive vascular disease is currently being evaluated.

The Board found that the Veteran's heart disorder did not have its onset in service or within one year of service, and is not etiologically related to his active service.

The Board found no evidence of a current disability related to service for sleep apnea and heart condition.,Service connection was denied as there is insufficient medical evidence linking the Veteran's current conditions to his military service.

The Veteran has withdrawn all his appeals, including those for higher rating for PTSD, service connection for stroke and testicle cancer, and TDIU. The appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's cause of death, kidney failure, was found to be related to his service-connected PTSD and the underlying conditions of diabetes mellitus, type II, ischemic heart disease, and cirrhosis of the liver. As these conditions are presumed due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam, service connection for the cause of death is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, coronary artery disease, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss, result in a combined 80 percent evaluation and preclude him from engaging in substantially gainful employment. The criteria for entitlement to a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities are met.

The Board has determined that a supplemental medical opinion is needed due to new evidence received since the February 2009 VA examination, which suggests the Veteran may have hypertensive heart disease secondary to his service-connected hypertension.

The Veteran's death was caused by ischemic heart disease, which is a listed disease associated with exposure to herbicides. Therefore, service connection for the cause of his death is granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the relationship between his current conditions and his military service.