Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2016

The Board has determined that further evidentiary development is necessary prior to the adjudication of the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral shoulder, back, and heart disorders.

The Board finds that the Veteran's service-connected schizophrenia did not cause or contribute to his death, and thus denies the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to conflicting medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's hypertension and his service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II, and/or coronary artery disease.

The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease is currently evaluated as 10 percent disabling, and the Board finds that a higher evaluation is not warranted.

The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating of 60 percent is warranted.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea. The remaining issues of service connection for psychiatric disorder, heart disorder, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction as secondary to service-connected sleep apnea are remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that a VA medical opinion is needed to determine if the cause(s) of the Veteran's death are etiologically related to his period of active service.

The Veteran's heart disorder and hypertension are found to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease (CAD) was manifested by left ventricular dysfunction with an ejection fraction of 30 to 50 percent prior to February 27, 2006. The Board granted a 60 percent rating for CAD effective June 29, 2000.,The Veteran's TDIU claim is addressed in the REMAND portion and is currently pending.

The Veteran's combined rating of 80 percent due to service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease and PTSD, precludes him from securing or following substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that the evidence supports a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran received increased ratings for his erectile dysfunction and hypertensive heart disease. He also received a TDIU effective April 20, 2007, and SMC at the housebound rate effective June 29, 2011.,However, the appeal of the December 2011 rating decision was not addressed in this decision.

The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease and chronic right hamstring strain, finding that these conditions are related to service. The issues of an increased rating for right ear hearing loss and service connection for a respiratory disorder remain pending.

The Veteran is service-connected for multiple disabilities, including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy. The Board finds that these conditions render the Veteran unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board dismissed the appeal due to a withdrawal request from the appellant's representative.

The Veteran's heart disability was found to be unrelated to his military service and there is no evidence of herbicide exposure. As a result, the claim for service connection has been denied.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, as his Hodgkin's lymphoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the mouth were not related to his military service or any asbestos exposure therein.

The Board is remanding the case for additional development, including obtaining a medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's heart disorder is related to his active military service and asbestos exposure.

The Veteran's initial rating for coronary artery disease was increased to 30 percent effective August 9, 2012.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and records.

The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for residuals of post-anesthesia hypoxia, including cognitive and heart conditions, was denied as there is no evidence of a chronic additional disability resulting from the procedure.