Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2013

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, finding that there is no clear and unmistakable evidence to support a finding of aggravation by service or any other link between the claimed conditions and service.

The Board denied service connection for a heart disorder, lung disorder (COPD), diabetes mellitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The Veteran's claims were not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding his heart disability and the need for a VA examination. The issue of entitlement to TDIU is also being remanded as it is intertwined with the service connection claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disorder, including as due to herbicide exposure, was denied. The Board found that the Veteran does not have CAD or any other heart disorder during the pendency of this claim.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a video conference hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his coronary artery disease prior to June 8, 2012 was denied as the evidence did not show a workload of less than 5 METs resulting in dyspnea, fatigue, angina, dizziness or syncope. As of June 8, 2012, the Veteran's claim for an increased rating was also denied due to lack of evidence showing more than one episode of congestive heart failure in a year, or a workload greater than 3 METs but not greater than 5 METs resulting in dyspnea, fatigue, angina, dizziness, or syncope.

The Veteran's service-connected anxiety disorder aggravated his coronary artery disease, causing his death. The Board grants service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Board found that the reduction of the Veteran's coronary artery disease rating from 100% to 30% was proper and denied his request for a permanent evaluation.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic back disability in service, and denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for his current back disability, heart disability, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, finding that the Veteran had hypertension first diagnosed during service and is presumed to be service-connected. The claim for service connection for hypertensive heart disease/LVH remains pending.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death and finds that new and material evidence has been received. The claim will be further adjudicated by the RO.

The Veteran's sinusitis did not manifest during service and is not related to any in-service event. It was not caused or aggravated by a service-connected disability.,Hypertension was not manifested during service, nor within one year of separation from service. The Veteran does not have current hypertension.,There is no evidence of myocardial infarction during service and the Veteran does not currently have a heart disability to include myocardial infarction.,Gastroesophageal reflux disease did not manifest during service and is not related to any in-service event. It was not caused or aggravated by a service-connected disability.,The Veteran does not have a current diagnosed gastric ulcer.,The Veteran does not have a current liver disability.,Service connection for kidney disorder (calculi of the kidney) cannot be established as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis and it is not related to any in-service event. The claim has been reopened but remains denied.,There is no evidence of bronchial asthma or allergies during service, nor are they currently diagnosed. The claims have been reopened but remain denied.,Service connection for allergies and asthma cannot be established as there is no evidence of a medical nexus between the conditions and a service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination. The Veteran's claim will be readjudicated based on all evidence.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining records from his bypass surgery in 2009.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the severity of his heart disability and obtain updated medical records.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and VA treatment records. A VA examination will also be scheduled to determine if the Veteran's heart condition preexisted service or was aggravated by service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found no new and material evidence to reopen the claim of an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD. Service connection was also denied for a skin disorder, low back disorder, sleep disorder, stomach disorder, penis deformity, prostate disorder, and heart disease.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease and hypertension were not shown to have developed as a result of service or any related conditions. The Board found no evidence supporting the claim that these conditions are due to exposure to ionizing radiation during service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for PTSD and ischemic heart disease, SMC based on housebound status, and TDIU were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under the applicable rating schedule.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and coronary artery disease, rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to November 28, 2011. His TDIU claim was granted effective from that date.