Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2013

The Veteran's PTSD is service-connected as a result of combat experiences in Vietnam. Service connection was also granted for heart disorder, erectile dysfunction, and prostate disorder based on the presumption that these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for osteoarthritis, coronary artery disease and a bilateral foot disability was dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his claims during the July 2010 hearing.

The Veteran's appeal of whether new and material evidence had been received to reopen a claim for service connection for a heart disability, to include as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus, has been withdrawn. The case is being remanded for further development regarding the Veteran's PTSD rating.

The Board found that the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea, heart disease, and ventral hernia are not related to his military service or any service-connected disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for residuals of head trauma, a heart disorder, an increased rating for major depressive disorder, and an increased rating for gastritis and headaches. The claim for TDIU was also addressed but not adjudicated as it is related to another issue.

The Board found that there is no evidence of a current heart disability related to the Veteran's active service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease, status-post bypass graft, results in an estimated workload of between 1-3 METs and warrants a 100 percent disability rating effective February 28, 2013. The Veteran also received a 100 percent disability rating for his chronic venous insufficiency of the right leg as of that date.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the combined impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of VA disability compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for coronary artery disease and peripheral vascular disease, concluding that these conditions did not result from carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment, or similar instance of fault on the part of VA.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran and a disagreement with the denial of service connection for PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and reviewing deck logs of the USS Chara.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities was denied, and his SMC claim is pending as he has a service-connected disability rated at 60%.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including verification of the Veteran's periods of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) and inactive duty for training (INACDUTRA), and for obtaining medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's cardiovascular disorders.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to failure to comply with previous remand directives. The Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart condition and a generalized arthritic condition, including scleroderma and CREST syndrome, are pending.

The Veteran's service-connected vestibular dysfunction of the inner ear is rated at 30 percent, effective November 7, 2011. The Board finds that his daily dizziness and occasional blackouts meet the criteria for a 30 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 6204.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he requested the withdrawal of his appeal for the issues listed on the cover page.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, when considered together, prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected prostate cancer and chronic ischemic heart disease were granted on a presumptive basis due to Agent Orange exposure. The appellant, the Veteran's adult daughter, is not eligible for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits as she reached her 26th birthday before the effective date of the permanent and total disability rating.

The Veteran's initial disability rating for coronary artery disease, status-post stenting, remains at 30 percent. The evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on documented coronary artery disease and METs (metabolic equivalents) testing.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for a VA examination to determine his employability status due to his service-connected disabilities.