Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2015

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unemployable, and the Board grants a TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining an addendum opinion from a VA examiner regarding the etiology of his erectile dysfunction.

The Veteran's CAD has been rated at 60 percent since February 24, 2014. The Board granted a higher rating based on the evidence showing that his condition warranted such an increase from May 14, 2009.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease and associated myocardial infarction are found to be due to herbicide exposure during service, specifically in the Korean DMZ.

The Board has remanded the case due to outstanding VA and private treatment records not being associated with the claims file. The Veteran is asked to provide or authorize for release of any additional relevant records.

The Veteran's heart disability was not incurred or aggravated by service, and the Board finds that it is unrelated to exposure to herbicides. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's disability manifested by chest pains, to include a heart disorder, is not etiologically related to any disease, injury or incident in service, or to a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's combined disability rating from service-connected conditions is 80%, which meets the threshold for a TDIU. However, his service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's combined rating for his service-connected disabilities is 90%, which meets the minimum percentage requirements for a TDIU. However, he has been employed in a protected environment and currently earns income that exceeds the poverty threshold for one person. The evidence does not show that his service-connected conditions render him unemployable.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected rheumatic fever with valvular heart disease, status post mitral valve replacement, did not cause or contribute to his death. The Board also noted that there was no evidence of active rheumatic fever at the time of his death.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and to provide him with a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected coronary artery disease.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded due to the need for an updated VA examination and additional private medical records.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for ischemic heart disease was denied as the earliest claim associated with medical evidence of a heart disorder is his February 5, 1999 increase in PTSD rating. The Veteran served in Vietnam and has been granted presumptive service connection for ischemic heart disease based on herbicide exposure.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for spinal and heart disabilities, but denied the claim for chronic respiratory disorder. The Veteran's in-service respiratory illnesses are not considered to be related to his current conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration, including obtaining additional medical records from Dr. Reddy and determining if the appellant is eligible to be recognized as a substitute for the Veteran.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and initial evaluations were denied. The claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for IHD was not addressed in the decision.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, finding that it was not incurred in or aggravated by service and could not be presumed due to a disease associated with active military service. The Board also found no evidence that the condition was caused or aggravated by his service-connected rheumatic heart disease.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. The remaining claims of entitlement to service connection for hearing loss, coronary artery disease, and PTSD, as well as the TDIU claim, are addressed in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination and the provision of updated treatment records. The issues include entitlement to an increased rating for coronary artery disease and entitlement to a TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and a VA opinion/examination regarding current IHD diagnosis.