Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2014

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea on the basis that it is aggravated by his service-connected right knee disability. The issues of service connection for heart disorder and Lyme disease, as well as an initial compensable rating for right knee strain are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to April 27, 2009 were denied as the evidence did not establish entitlement to service connection or a higher rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus, type II. The claim for an earlier effective date for service connection was also denied as there is no legal entitlement to such a date prior to when he filed his initial claim.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding whether hypertension is aggravated by service-connected coronary artery disease and/or diabetes mellitus. Additional VA examination and opinion are needed.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for additional development, including a medical opinion from a vocational rehabilitation specialist to assess his employability due to service-connected disabilities. The case will be readjudicated after the additional development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease is denied, while his claim for atrial fibrillation is granted. The decision is mixed as it relates to the theory of service connection and exposure basis.

The Veteran seeks an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for coronary artery disease, which was initially denied in October 1971. The Board finds that the claim should be granted as of April 6, 1992.,There is no clear and unmistakable error (CUE) found in the October 1971 rating decision regarding service connection for coronary artery disease.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to service connection for hypertension and heart disease due to a lack of availability of the Veterans Law Judge who conducted the 2013 Videoconference hearing.

The Board has remanded the case to schedule a videoconference hearing. The Veteran's claims for service connection and rating of his disabilities remain pending.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of direct service connection for left carpal tunnel syndrome or ischemic heart disease, and there was no evidence linking these conditions to active service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart condition, finding that it was not incurred during or aggravated by his active duty service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and related complications are denied as there is no evidence of in-service exposure to Agent Orange or any other herbicide. The Veteran was not diagnosed with hypertension until decades after service, and no medical professional has associated the diagnosis with his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a hearing before the Board of Veterans' Appeals. The issues are related to his bilateral hearing loss and heart disease, with the latter potentially linked to exposure to Agent Orange.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed disabilities did not begin in service or until many years after service, and are not linked to any established in-service injury, disease, or event. Therefore, the claims for service connection have been denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's heart disorder was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service and is less likely than not related to his service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for epilepsy, hypertension, and coronary artery disease. The case is being remanded to allow for further development of these claims.

The Veteran's PTSD, which began in November 2007 when he stopped working, resulted in occupational and social impairment warranting a TDIU effective from that date.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease was denied as there is no evidence of in-service events, injuries or diseases related to the condition. The Veteran did not serve in Vietnam and therefore cannot be presumed exposed to herbicides.

The Veteran's initial evaluation for ischemic heart disease is being remanded due to the need to obtain and associate outstanding VA treatment records, including those from Dr. C. and University Hospitals Medical Practice in South Euclid, Ohio. A new VA examination will also be scheduled to assess the severity of his service-connected disability.

The Veteran's cause of death, hepatocellular carcinoma, is not service-connected. The Board finds that the Veteran's death was unrelated to his service or any service-connected disability.