Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2014

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current coronary artery disease is related to his active military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease with ischemic cardiomyopathy was received on August 25, 2009. The effective date of the grant of service connection is therefore set at that date.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current cardiomyopathy is related to his in-service herbicide exposure, and service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to fully and fairly consider the Veteran's claims, including obtaining private treatment records and conducting examinations for his heart disability and PTSD.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension and a heart disorder, finding that there was no chronic disease shown in service. The low back disability claim is also denied as the evidence does not meet the criteria for an initial evaluation in excess of 20 percent.

The Board found that the Veteran's death was not caused by his service-connected conditions, including prostate cancer and PTSD. The cause of death (cardiac arrest) is attributed to hepatocellular carcinoma, which does not have a presumptive link to herbicide exposure.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development and examination, including obtaining additional medical records and determining if the appellant meets the regulatory definition of 'unmarried' for purposes of status as a child of the Veteran.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type 2 and ischemic heart disease are presumed to be due to herbicide exposure. The Veteran is also service-connected for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities and amputation of the left great toe as secondary to his diabetes.

The Veteran's hypertension is found to be proximately due to or the result of his service-connected PTSD, and thus service connection for hypertension is granted. The issue of entitlement to service connection for heart disease remains pending as it was not addressed in this decision.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are granted for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss disability, chronic fatigue syndrome (including sleep deprivation syndrome), and a psychiatric disorder (PTSD, panic disorder, anxiety disorder, and depressive disorder). The remaining claims are pending.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease was denied. The rating for PTSD was restored to 50% but the effective date remains unchanged. There is no grant of an earlier effective date for increased ratings or TDIU.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart disorder and residuals of a stroke, finding that there is no evidence linking these conditions to his active duty service.

The Board granted service connection for ischemic heart disease, finding that the Veteran was exposed to herbicides in Thailand and his current condition is due to this exposure.

The Veteran's death was not caused by VA care, but rather due to his own condition. The Board found that the Oklahoma City VAMC provided appropriate treatment for the Veteran.

The Board found that the Veteran's heart disorder was not manifested during service or for many years thereafter, and thus denied his claim of service connection.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for ischemic heart disease is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining outstanding records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's service connection claims for coronary artery disease and low back disability have been granted. The Veteran was diagnosed with coronary artery disease, which is presumed due to his in-country Vietnam service exposure to herbicides. For the low back disability claim, the Board found that while there was no evidence of a chronic condition during service or within one year post-service, the Veteran's current degenerative joint and disc disease can be linked to his reported injury in service lifting heavy drums.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for a video conference hearing. Service connection will be considered for heart condition, diabetes mellitus type II, and peripheral neuropathy of upper and lower extremities due to exposure to herbicides.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for disability involving the eyes and for ischemic heart disease, coronary artery disease. The lung disability claim is REMANDED to the RO. The Veteran's right eye posterior subcapsular cataract was found to be related to potential occupational exposure to ionizing radiation in service.

The Veteran does not have a current heart disability and the Board finds that service connection for this condition is denied.