Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2015

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection, a TTR based on prostate cancer treatment, and a rating in excess of 50 percent for schizophrenia must be remanded due to incomplete development. Additionally, his claim for TDIU is also inextricably intertwined with these issues.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to follow a substantially gainful occupation, meeting the criteria for TDIU.

The Veteran seeks an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for ischemic heart disease. The Board finds that no earlier effective date is warranted as the claim was filed more than one year after separation from service and received between May 3, 1989 and the effective date of the liberalizing law.

The Veteran's cause of death was attributed to atrial fibrillation, valvular heart disease, and other conditions. The VA medical opinion concluded that the service-connected PTSD did not contribute substantially or materially to his death.,The criteria for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 were not met due to lack of evidence showing continuous total disability rating.

The Board has determined that the Veteran did not serve in a military occupational specialty where he might have been exposed to Agent Orange, and there is no evidence of exposure during service. The Board also found no credible evidence linking any current disabilities (ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer) to service or to exposure to Agent Orange.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease was denied as there is no medical evidence to support a diagnosis of the condition. The claim for PTSD remains pending and will be remanded for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease as there was no evidence of herbicide exposure during service and no medical opinion linking the condition to service.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal regarding the issues of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD and to an effective date earlier than August 8, 2013 for the grant of service connection for ischemic heart disease. As a result, the appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for a Board hearing before a Veterans Law Judge sitting at the Montgomery RO regarding all six issues on appeal.

The Veteran's heart disorder is being remanded for further examination and opinion to determine its etiology, including whether it is secondary to service-connected PTSD or COPD. The preexisting heart murmur will also be evaluated for aggravation during service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's residuals of a stroke are related to his service-connected coronary artery disease and peripheral vascular disease, which share a common etiology. Therefore, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for heart disease, hypertension, restless leg syndrome, and fibromyalgia have been denied as there is no current disability found in the record.,VA has not provided a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease, gout, lung condition and prostate condition due to Agent Orange exposure was denied as there is no evidence of current diagnoses or a link between the conditions and his military service.

The Board has ordered additional development to obtain medical records and information regarding the Veteran's health issues in service, as well as a medical opinion on whether his coronary artery disease had its onset in service. The case will be remanded for further adjudication.

The Board found that the appellant did not meet the diagnostic criteria for PTSD under DSM-IV and denied his claims for service connection. The VA examiner concluded that the appellant's anxiety symptoms manifested approximately 10 years after his period of ACDUTRA, and thus there was no proximal relationship between the appellant's anxiety and his ACDUTRA.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease was denied as there is no evidence of herbicide exposure or a pre-existing condition in service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to her failure to report for scheduled Travel Board hearings. She will be given an additional opportunity for a hearing.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease was granted with an effective date of August 31, 2010. The Board found that no earlier effective date is warranted as the claim was received within a year of the regulatory change.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's heart disorder, including rheumatic heart disease, is presumed to have existed prior to service and was aggravated by service. Therefore, service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's heart disorder is presumed to be secondary to his service-connected sarcoidosis. The Board grants reopening of the claim for a heart disorder and remands the issue for further development.