Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2016

The Veteran's claims for service connection for ischemic heart disease, initial compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss, and initial disability ratings in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus, major depressive disorder and anxiety disorder, residuals of a gunshot wound of the left buttocks, and surgical scar of the left buttocks were all denied. The Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease was not reopened due to lack of material evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disorder, Lewy body dementia (as memory loss), and diabetes mellitus type II was granted. The effective date is set to the date of receipt of the claim, November 4, 2011, as there is no evidence of these conditions prior to that date.

The Board previously denied the Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to August 5, 2011, for the grant of service connection for ischemic heart disease (IHD). The case is now remanded due to a lack of adequate reasons and bases in the January 2016 decision regarding whether VA was required to obtain a retrospective medical opinion.

The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease as due to herbicide exposure, finding that the Veteran's duties placed him at or near the base perimeter in Thailand during his service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for coronary artery disease and posttraumatic stress disorder have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for either condition.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The initial rating for diabetes was not granted, chronic otitis externa did not warrant a compensable rating, the lumbar spine disability received an increased rating but remained at 20 percent, cervical spine disorder, bilateral hip disorder, knee disorder, ankle disorder, kidney disorder (hypertension), heart disorder (hypertension), erectile dysfunction, and peripheral neuropathy of both upper and lower extremities were not granted service connection. The Veteran's diabetes was rated as 20 percent disabling.

The Board has remanded the case due to audio malfunctions during a previous videoconference hearing. The Veteran is required to appear for another videoconference hearing.

The Veteran does not have a currently diagnosed heart disability, other than already service-connected hypertension. The Board finds the VA medical opinions highly probative on the question of a current disability.

The Board has granted an effective date of August 7, 2000 for the grant of service connection for coronary artery disease with history of myocardial infarction and coronary artery bypass graft. The appeal is denied as there is no earlier effective date.

The Board found that the Veteran's heart disease was not manifested in service or within one year of separation, and the preponderance of evidence is against a finding that it is related to his service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, thoracic aortic aneurysm, and coronary artery disease with history of myocardial infarction. The appeals were decided on the merits without any presumption of exposure to Agent Orange or other herbicides.

The Veteran is entitled to a TDIU from March 1, 2009 to October 24, 2010 due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back strain, with degenerative changes at L5-S1, is etiologically related to active service and grants service connection for this condition. The heart condition issue remains pending as it pertains to a heart murmur which may be considered a congenital defect or disease.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease, claimed as atrial fibrillation, was denied. However, his PTSD was granted with a 30% disability rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease was granted on a presumptive basis due to exposure to herbicide agents, effective August 29, 2005. The Board finds that the earlier effective date of June 8, 1995 is more appropriate based on his prior claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed acquired psychiatric disorder, hypertension, heart disability, damaged teeth, bilateral shoulder disability, and low back disability are not service-connected as secondary to his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's erectile dysfunction is found to be secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus II, and thus granted service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have ischemic heart disease and therefore, service connection for a heart disorder is denied.

The Board denied the claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that no earlier effective date is warranted as the earliest possible effective date allowed by law is August 31, 2010.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease was granted, but the effective date is set at October 16, 2006. The Veteran did not file an earlier claim for this condition.