Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2016

The Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease was granted in July 2013, effective July 11, 2011. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria to have an earlier effective date due to his lack of Vietnam service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for a left shoulder disability, elevated blood sugar (including diabetes mellitus), hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, and peripheral neuropathy are granted on the basis of presumptive exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam. The effective date is not specified.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart disease. The erectile dysfunction claim is being withdrawn by the Veteran's representative.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine if his current conditions are related to service.

The Board granted service connection for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation as secondary to service-connected COPD, hypertension, peripheral edema, and skin disorder. The other conditions were not found to be related to service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current stomach condition or any other service-connected disabilities, and thus cannot grant service connection for these issues.

The Board denied service connection for ischemic heart disease and hypertension, finding no evidence of current diagnoses or a link to service, including herbicide exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's skin rash and cardiac disorder are not related to his service, including exposure to herbicide agents. The evidence does not support a finding of direct or secondary service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's heart disability was not incurred in service or due to herbicide exposure, and is not proximately due to or aggravated by a service-connected condition. Therefore, service connection for a heart disability is denied.

The Board has denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his heart condition and his military service.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 100 percent schedular evaluation for ischemic heart disease was denied as the criteria were not met prior to September 27, 2010.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining relevant medical records and providing an addendum VA medical opinion.

The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of any heart disorder, peripheral neuropathy in either upper or lower extremity, or respiratory disorder.,As such, the criteria for service connection are not met.

The Board denied service connection for right and left knee disabilities due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.,Service connection was also not granted for a heart disability as the examiner did not provide an etiological opinion on the non-specific systolic murmur.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a chronic heart disability, hypertension, GERD, or erectile dysfunction that is related to service or any service-connected condition. The appeal for these claims is denied.

The Veteran's service connection for CAD was granted with an effective date of August 14, 2012. The initial rating claim for a higher rating remains pending.,A temporary total rating due to convalescence following a myocardial infarction from August 3, 2015, to November 30, 2015, was granted.

The Veteran's service connection claim for ischemic heart disease, including coronary artery disease, is granted due to exposure near the air base perimeter in Thailand.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease has not resulted in a workload of greater than 5 METs but not greater than 7 METs resulting in dyspnea, fatigue, angina, dizziness, or syncope, nor is there evidence of cardiac hypertrophy or dilatation. Therefore, the criteria for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent have not been met.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease was not service-connected due to a lack of claim within one year of discharge and no denial between September 25, 1985, and August 31, 2010. Retroactive benefits are denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for residuals of larynx cancer and coronary artery disease are being remanded due to the need for new VA examinations to determine current disability severity.