Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2015

The Board found that the appellant's claim for accrued benefits was without legal merit as there were no pending claims at the time of her husband's death, and thus she is not entitled to such benefits.

The Veteran is found to be unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities, including PTSD.

The Veteran seeks an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for ischemic heart disease, but the Board finds that the earliest possible effective date is August 31, 2010 due to a change in VA regulations regarding presumptive service connection based on herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease is presumed to be associated with his service in the Republic of Vietnam, and thus he is granted service connection.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a right hip disability and remanded it to determine whether new evidence supports this reopening. The claims for left hip, cardiac, and bilateral knee disabilities are still pending.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to the need for an addendum opinion regarding the Veteran's heart disorders and their relationship to his service-connected back disorder, as well as the unavailability of his Social Security disability records.

The Board denied service connection for a heart disorder and chest pain (costochondritis) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected hypertension.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence of herbicide exposure during service, and the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of an acquired psychiatric disorder or heart condition. The claim for neuropathy is denied as well.

The Board has granted the appellant's recognition as the surviving spouse of the Veteran for VA benefits purposes, including entitlement to dependency and indemnity compensation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for heart disease, including ischemic heart disease, cardiac arrhythmia, and cardiomyopathy is being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his exposure to Agent Orange during service.

The Board has remanded the claims due to additional development and the Veteran's request for a Travel Board hearing at the Waco VARO.

The Veteran's COPD, heart disorder (CHF), and hypertension are being remanded for further examination and opinion regarding their relationship to service, specifically exposure to Agent Orange.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease was granted with an effective date of June 29, 2001. The issue of entitlement to TDIU benefits prior to August 31, 2010 is also remanded.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for coronary artery disease is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and updated medical records.

The Veteran seeks a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities, but further development is needed to assess the impact of these conditions on his employability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional procedural and evidentiary development, including notification of the claims process, obtaining relevant medical records, and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection of Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and arteriosclerotic heart disease, both presumed to be related to herbicide exposure in Thailand. The Veteran is found to have been exposed to herbicides during his service at Nakhon Phanom RTAFB.

The Veteran's heart disorder is being remanded for a new examination to determine its etiology and whether it is related to his service, including undiagnosed Gulf War illness.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease, including as secondary to herbicide exposure (Agent Orange), is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran was exposed to herbicides in service, and therefore his diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease, and prostate cancer are presumed to be related to this exposure.