Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2015

The Veteran's coronary artery disease results in symptoms of dyspnea, fatigue, and angina with a workload of greater than 3 METs but not greater than 5 METs. The disability is not manifested by chronic congestive heart failure or left ventricular dysfunction with an ejection fraction of less than 30 percent. A 60% rating has been granted for the Veteran's coronary artery disease.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for ischemic heart disease and Parkinson's disease, both claimed as secondary to herbicide exposure during military service in the Republic of Korea, are being remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding his alleged exposure.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for restoration of a 60% rating and an increased rating for his heart condition, finding that the reduction to a 30% rating was proper based on recent VA examination results. The effective date remains unchanged.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development, including obtaining missing service records and VA treatment records. The Veteran will be scheduled for VA examinations to determine his current diagnoses related to allergic rhinitis and heart disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to the need for additional VA examinations and records, as well as further development of the increased rating claims.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for PTSD was withdrawn. Service connection for prostate cancer and ischemic heart disease, both presumed to be due to herbicide exposure during service, is granted.

The Veteran's initial claim for higher ratings for his post-operative coronary artery disease (CAD) has been denied as the evidence does not show that he meets the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable VA rating criteria.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to missing medical records and examinations.

The Veteran is currently in receipt of SMC at the rate equal to subsection (m) based on the loss of use of both legs due to service-connected peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities with additional disability (service-connected bronchial asthma) independently ratable as 100 percent disabling from August 20, 2009. The Veteran's claims for higher levels of SMC under 38 C.F.R. � 3.350(f)(3) and 38 U.S.C.A. � 1114(o) have been denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board found that the Veteran did not have ischemic heart disease or diabetes due to in-service herbicide exposure, as he never served in Vietnam and there is no evidence of such exposure. The claims for service connection were denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease was denied in 1987 and again in 2007. The effective date of the award is set as March 2, 1997, based on the earliest medical evidence of record.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by the appellant, resulting in the dismissal of his case.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease, claimed as heart disease due to herbicide exposure, is being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's hypertension and coronary artery disease are being remanded for a VA examination to determine if they are related to his in-service exposure to Agent Orange. The claim of service connection for residuals of stroke is deferred due to the need for further evaluation.

The Veteran died from sepsis due to intra-abdominal hemorrhaging following bowel obstruction surgery. The primary and contributing causes were not service-connected.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to August 31, 2010 for service connection to coronary artery disease is denied as his earlier diagnosis of coronary artery disease was not a claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the effective date for service connection of ischemic heart disease should be February 19, 2002.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and the retrieval of outstanding VA treatment records.

The Board finds that the Veteran's service-connected spondylolisthesis warrants a 20 percent rating since April 1, 1996.