Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2014

The Veteran's chest pain, irregular heartbeat, and heart condition have not been diagnosed. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence is against a finding of a current heart condition.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease is recognized as being caused by exposure to herbicides during service in Vietnam, and thus service connection is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining a secondary service connection opinion for sleep apnea and issuing a statement of the case regarding his claims.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining STRs from the Veteran's second period of service and providing a medical opinion regarding whether hypertension had its onset during service or is related to service. The issues on appeal are entitlement to service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death and entitlement to service connection for chronic multi-symptom illness (CMI) for accrued benefits purposes based upon a claim pending at the time of the Veteran's death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed coronary artery disease is not related to service or a service-connected disability, and therefore, denied the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected heart disability has rendered him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU.

The Board found that the Veteran's current heart disability did not have an onset during his period of service and is not related to any in-service complaints. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding of service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to conflicting medical opinions and inextricably intertwined issues.

The Veteran's cardiovascular disorders were not incurred or aggravated by his active service, including due to presumed herbicide exposure or secondary to his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's tinnitus is related to active service and has been granted. The heart disorder, erectile dysfunction, and prostate cancer are presumed due to herbicide exposure during service.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed conditions, including hypertension, migraine headaches, heart disease, and kidney disease, were not incurred or aggravated by service. The evidence did not support a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms are rated at 100 percent effective September 22, 2004. SMC based on housebound status is granted effective from the same date. The TDIU claim is dismissed as moot due to the grant of a 100% rating for PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the Veteran's DM was rated appropriately, but his PTSD warranted a higher rating from May 14, 2008.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease, claimed as secondary to Agent Orange exposure, is being remanded due to the need for a video conference hearing.

The Board has determined that the effective date for the award of service connection for ischemic heart disease should be September 28, 2005. This is based on the liberalizing law that added ischemic heart disease to the list of presumptive diseases associated with herbicide exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for prostate cancer and coronary artery disease, finding that there was no evidence of herbicide exposure during service and insufficient evidence to establish a presumption of such exposure.

The Board found no current disability involving the heart and denied service connection for a chronic heart disorder.

The Board has ordered further development due to the need for additional VA medical records, particularly those from October 2011 at the Oklahoma City VAMC. The Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disorder will be reconsidered based on all available evidence.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, and he meets the criteria for SMC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1114(s) due to his service-connected diabetes mellitus and CAD resulting in a combined disability picture that prevents him from securing and following substantially gainful employment. His PTSD does not warrant an increased rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for ischemic heart disease and type II diabetes mellitus, finding no evidence of a nexus to his military service or exposure to Agent Orange.