Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2016

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining service personnel records and verifying herbicide exposure. VA examinations will be scheduled if herbicide exposure is confirmed.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to October 10, 2007, for the grant of service connection for coronary artery disease was denied by the Board.

The Veteran's death was caused by his service-connected diabetes mellitus, which substantially contributed to his cause of death. The Board finds that the evidence is at least equally balanced in terms of whether service-connected disability substantially contributed to the Veteran's death.

The Board has granted service connection for a heart disability secondary to herbicide exposure, but denied service connection for diabetes mellitus as it was not shown in service or within one year of discharge.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease was pending and had not been finally adjudicated as of November 17, 2010. The effective date for the grant of service connection is set to March 2, 1984.

The Board has determined that the Veteran did not serve in Vietnam and therefore cannot establish service connection for heart disability or diabetes based on herbicide exposure. The Veteran's claims have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to his active service.

The appeal has been withdrawn by the appellant before a decision was made.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD has been granted. The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's current diagnosis of PTSD was caused by fear of hostile military activity during his service.

The Veteran's residuals of larynx cancer were rated at 10 percent from October 1, 2010, to July 22, 2012, and at 30 percent from July 23, 2012, to March 6, 2013. The Veteran's heart disability was reopened on new evidence and granted a 30 percent rating.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, right deviated septum, left inguinal hernia, residuals of low back injury, and heart disorder. Specifically, an addendum opinion is needed regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran seeks an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for ischemic heart disease. The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine when the condition first manifested and whether it was related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease, status post bypass graft, is rated at 100 percent since August 31, 2010. The appeal for a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is moot due to the grant of a 100 percent rating. The Veteran meets the criteria for SMC under the provisions of 38 U.S.C.A. � 1114 (s).

The Board found no evidence of herbicide exposure during the Veteran's service in Korea or Guam, and thus denied his claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, and coronary artery disease.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a medical opinion regarding the Veteran's cause of death and whether his coronary artery disease is related to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea was granted effective July 27, 2000. The claims for higher ratings for coronary artery disease and special monthly compensation at the housebound rate were denied as there was no increase in severity prior to April 1, 2011.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus was not granted. His current rating of 50 percent for obstructive sleep apnea is the maximum available under VA's rating schedule.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease, post-CABG surgery, has not met the criteria for a higher evaluation since March 11, 2016. The current disability picture does not warrant an evaluation in excess of 30 percent prior to that date.

The Veteran had ischemic heart disease, which is a type of ischemic heart disease. The Board finds that the Veteran's ischemic heart disease was service-connected due to its association with his Vietnam-era service and grants both service connection for ischemic heart disease and cause of death based on ischemic heart disease.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease was denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition. The claims for earlier effective date and higher SMC rates are also pending.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for liver cancer and a heart disability have been withdrawn. The Board has granted an initial 50 percent rating for PTSD and awarded a TDIU.

The Veteran's claims for glaucoma, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, bilateral knee arthritis and rheumatism, heart disability, and sinusitis are denied as there is no evidence of in-service incurrence or a relationship to service.,The Veteran's current hypertension condition is not related to his service. The Board finds that the weight of the evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran's current heart conditions (coronary artery disease and hypertensive cardiovascular disease) are related to service.,The Veteran's diabetes mellitus claim is denied as there is no in-service incurrence or relationship to service. Additionally, he is not entitled to presumptive service connection based on herbicide exposure.,Bilateral knee arthritis and rheumatism claims are denied as the Veteran did not have an in-service injury or disease that would support a grant of service connection. The Board also finds no evidence of continuity of symptomatology between his current condition and service.,The Veteran's heart disability (coronary artery disease and hypertensive cardiovascular disease) claim is denied as there is no evidence of in-service incurrence or relationship to service. Additionally, the weight of the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to herbicide exposure.,The Veteran's sinusitis claim is granted as it is secondary to his service-connected rhinitis.