Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2013

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete records and further review of the Veteran's claims.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sickle cell disease has been reopened and is granted. He is also awarded secondary service connection for multiple conditions as secondary to his sickle cell disease, including right shoulder/arm disorder, hemorrhoids (blood in stool), fungal dermatitis, psychiatric disorder (depression), hypertension, diabetes mellitus, low back disorder, heart condition, eye disorders (glaucoma and blindness in the left eye), muscle and joint pain, erectile dysfunction, and alopecia. His rating for vertigo remains at 30 percent.

The Board found that the Veteran's heart disorder did not manifest during her first period of active duty, was not compensably disabling within one year of separation from her first period of active duty, and is unrelated to her first period of active duty. The pre-existing heart disorder clearly and unmistakably underwent no clinically identifiable permanent increase in severity during her second period of active duty.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for heart disease and hypertension were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a current diagnosis of heart disease, and his hypertension was not shown to be causally or etiologically related to any disease, injury, or incident during service, including herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding his ability to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities. The case will be readjudicated after obtaining any outstanding treatment records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected rheumatic heart disease warrants a rating of 60 percent, effective from the date of his claim for increase.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease, including based on exposure to herbicide agents, is remanded due to the need for a VA examination and further development of the record.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing an addendum to the July 2011 examination report.

The Board denied service connection for a lung disorder and an increased evaluation for lumbar spine disability, but granted the claim to reopen for a heart disorder. The Veteran's appeal is pending regarding TDIU.

The Veteran's hip pain, hypertension, heart disorder, and sleep disorder were not found to be service-connected due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for heart disorder and diabetes mellitus, type II, both claimed as due to herbicide exposure. The Veteran's current diagnoses were not found to be related to his military service or the presumptive periods.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to determine if new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU was denied as he had not been unemployable prior to September 7, 2011 due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran is service-connected for multiple disabilities, including coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus. The Board finds that the Veteran's service-connected conditions render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due solely to his disabilities.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of a current heart disorder or disorder manifested by chronic chest pain that began during service or is related to any incident of service. Therefore, the claims for service connection have been denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing the Veteran with a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling VA examinations to address the severity of his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for ischemic heart disease and PTSD are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess current disability levels.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for rheumatic fever residuals and a heart disability, finding that there was no evidence of such conditions during or after service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for various conditions, including PTSD, high triglycerides and cholesterol, chronic obesity, poor blood circulation, dry mouth, Gulf War Syndrome, polyps, gastrointestinal disorder, eye disability, respiratory disorder, heart disease, skin cancer, varicose veins, sleep apnea, and traumatic brain injury. The reasons were provided based on the lack of evidence supporting these claims.