Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2015

The Board has granted service connection for heart disease and found new and material evidence to reopen the claim for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's claims are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus and heart disease were denied as there is no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides or other causative factors.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for heart disease and hypertension due to incomplete records. The Veteran is required to provide copies of any private treatment records from Dr. A.S. and Dr. K.N.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and examination to determine the etiology of hepatitis C and a heart disability, including whether they are related to service or other conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease, along with other disabilities, precludes him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation. However, his other service-connected conditions do not individually or in combination render him unemployable.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II and ischemic heart disease are related to his service, specifically exposure to herbicides during military service. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral pes planus, plantar fasciitis, and right knee disorder are denied as there is no evidence of a service connection. The claim for sleep apnea is remanded due to the need for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities are of sufficient severity to preclude him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU rating.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease on a presumptive basis due to herbicide exposure in Thailand. The Veteran's claim of secondary service connection for neuropathy of the lower extremities and bilateral eye disorder related to his newly established service-connected diabetes is remanded.

The Veteran's permanent and total service-connected disability, including his left lower extremity disabilities and heart condition, effectively precludes him from locomotion without the aid of braces, crutches, canes, or a wheelchair. He is therefore entitled to specially adapted housing benefits.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for coronary artery disease is dismissed as a matter of law because the March 2007 rating decision that granted service connection and established September 18, 2006 as the effective date is final.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease is granted service connection based on herbicide exposure during active duty in Thailand. The claims for asthma and testicular tumor are dismissed as the Veteran withdrew them at his February 2015 Board hearing.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining treatment records from the Madison VAMC and scheduling a videoconference hearing on the issue of service connection for COPD.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and possibly scheduling a VA examination. The appeal will be reconsidered after this process.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is entitled to an effective date of April 16, 2010 for a 70 percent rating for PTSD with major depressive disorder. The earliest date entitlement could have arisen was in June 2009.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues related to the Veteran's heart disability and his TDIU claim. The AOJ is instructed to reconcile a previous award of a 60% rating for the Veteran's heart disability, refer the claim to the Director of VA Compensation and Pension Services for extraschedular consideration, and adjudicate the TDIU claim after determining the appropriate date of the award.

The Board has granted service connection for a chronic heart condition, including as due to exposure to herbicides in service. The Veteran's death was also considered and service connection for cause of death was granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (PTSD, coronary artery disease, and erectile dysfunction) render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran was awarded a 100 percent rating for adjustment disorder with dysthymia and hypertensive arteriosclerotic heart disease effective May 7, 2012.,No earlier effective dates were granted as the evidence did not show an increase in disability prior to this date.