Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2016

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for hearing loss, right hip disability, left hip disability, right knee disability, and left knee disability. The Board found that there was no evidence of a current disability related to service or secondary to a service-connected condition.

The Veteran is granted an increased rating of 60 percent for his right knee disability from May 1, 2006 to June 6, 2008. Service connection is established for coronary artery disease and a right shoulder disability.

The Board has granted service connection for Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) and a skin rash disorder, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his active duty service.,Service connection was established based on continuity of symptoms since service.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension and heart disorder did not have onset during service or within one year of service separation, and thus could not be presumed to have been incurred in service. The Board also determined that there was no evidence linking these conditions to service or any service-connected disability.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional VA and non-VA treatment records, SSA records, and a VA examination. The claims will be readjudicated based on the evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete notice and evidentiary development, including obtaining private treatment records from North Metro Hospital and a VA medical opinion regarding the Veteran's heart disability.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease was rated at 100 percent, meeting the criteria for a housebound rating due to having one service-connected disability rated as 100% and additional disabilities independently ratable at 60%. The claim is granted.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, which meets the criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cardiovascular disabilities, including heart disease and peripheral vascular disorder, were not incurred in or related to his service. The VA medical opinion concluded that there is no link between the Veteran's diagnosed cardiovascular conditions and any aspect of his service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease due to presumed in-service herbicide exposure is granted. The status of the claims regarding varicose veins and atrial fibrillation with pacemaker/defibrillator combination placement remains unknown.

The Board has granted service connection for ischemic heart disease as due to herbicide exposure and for hypertension as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II, and diabetic nephropathy.

The Veteran's service connection claim for COPD was denied as there is no evidence of COPD in service and no competent medical evidence linking the current condition to his period of service. The claim for an increased rating for ischemic heart disease remains pending.

The Board found that there was no evidence of service connection for ischemic heart disease or unstable angina, and denied the claim as the Veteran did not have a diagnosis within one year after separation from service. The Board also determined that exposure to herbicides during service could not be presumed due to lack of in-country service.

The reduction of the rating for service-connected coronary artery disease from 60 percent to 30 percent, effective September 1, 2012, was not proper. The Veteran's underlying heart disability has improved, but this improvement is not reflected in the evidence on file at the time of the June 2012 reduction decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current heart disease, including valvular heart disease and hypertension, is etiologically related to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's permanent and total disability rating for heart disease was effective April 25, 2008. The appellant reached her 26th birthday prior to this effective date, thus she has no legal entitlement to Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits.

The Veteran died in September 2010 from a myocardial infarction with coronary artery disease and previous stroke as contributing factors. The appellant's claim for service-connected death benefits was received by VA on September 30, 2010, and she was granted DIC effective September 1, 2010.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed conditions, including hypertension and a heart disability, were not related to service. The evidence did not show cardiovascular injury or disease during service, nor continuous symptoms of hypertension or CAD since service separation.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss and assigned a 30 percent disability rating. The heart condition, soft tissue sarcoma, mole removal residuals, and locked jaw due to broken right jawbone are all considered direct service-connected conditions.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the initial rating for his service-connected coronary artery disease, currently rated at 30 percent.