Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2014

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for tinnitus and coronary artery disease were denied as the earliest date of entitlement was July 16, 2003 and April 14, 2005 respectively.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for dystrophic nails (claimed as brittle nails) and sleep apnea (due to herbicide exposure and/or secondary to coronary artery disease) were also denied.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred at Grandview Medical Center on October 24, 2009 for treatment of a scrotal abscess and tinea corporis are approved as the nearest VA facility was closed and not feasibly available.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation in excess of 20 percent for his service-connected type 2 diabetes mellitus is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including new medical examinations.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a Board video-conference hearing. The service connection claim for heart disorder, other than mitral regurgitation, and the initial rating claim for mitral regurgitation are both pending.

The Board finds that the reduction of the Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease from 100 percent to 60 percent, effective June 1, 2010, was proper based on current medical evidence showing improvement in his condition.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have ischemic heart disease and there is no evidence relating his current symptoms to a service-connected disability or exposure to herbicides. The preponderance of the evidence shows that the Veteran's chest pain, PVCs, PACs, and hyperlipidemia do not constitute an ischemic heart disease.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities meet the percentage requirements for a TDIU, and the collective evidence suggests that his service-connected disabilities preclude him from obtaining and retaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a supplemental statement of the case and proper identification of documents in the Virtual VA claims file.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including verification of his exposure to Agent Orange and a VA examination to determine the etiology of his diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated as 50 percent disabling until March 20, 2013, and then as 70 percent disabling. His CAD remains at a 30 percent rating. The combined rating is now 80 percent. Additionally, the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to work, qualifying for TDIU.

The Board found that the reduction of the disability rating for the Veteran's CAD from 100 percent to 30 percent was proper, as his condition had improved and did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional treatment records and a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's heart disease is related to his military service, including as secondary to his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for ischemic heart disease and degenerative joint disease of the right shoulder were denied as his conditions did not warrant a rating greater than the assigned disability ratings.

The Board dismissed the appeal because the Veteran died during the pendency of his appeal, and thus has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this claim.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to new and material evidence. However, the claim remains denied as ischemic heart disease is not considered a contributory cause of death.

The Veteran is presumed to have been exposed to herbicide agents while serving in Thailand, and his diagnosed ischemic heart disease and diabetes mellitus are presumed related to such exposure.,Diabetic retinopathy, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, and nephropathy were not found to be presumptively related to herbicide exposure.

The Board has received a withdrawal of the appeal from the appellant's authorized representative, thus dismissing the appeal.

The Veteran seeks service connection for coronary artery disease, which he claims is secondary to his service-connected hypertension. The Board has remanded the claim due to insufficient medical opinion regarding possible aggravation of the Veteran's coronary artery disease by his service-connected hypertension.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and records.

The Veteran's initial rating for bilateral hearing loss remains at 10 percent, as his hearing impairment does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.