Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2016

The Veteran's seborrheic dermatitis of the face and head is found to have started in service, granting service connection. The cervical spine disorder and ischemic heart disease are not connected to service.

The Veteran's appeal includes claims for increased ratings and service connection for various conditions, including coronary artery disease, COPD, asthma, a spine disability, radiculopathy of the upper and lower extremities. The Board has remanded these issues due to missing VA treatment records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for cardiovascular disease, including hypertension and coronary artery disease. The decision is based on a finding that there was no evidence of a chronic condition during service or post-service continuity of symptomatology.

The Board found that there is no competent evidence linking the Veteran's hypertension to his service or to his service-connected coronary artery disease. Therefore, the claim for service connection for hypertension was denied.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease is presumed to have been caused by his in-service herbicide exposure, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU prior to October 15, 2014 is dismissed as he was already receiving a 100% rating for his service-connected coronary artery disease.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and for a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed conditions, including whether they are related to care provided by VA.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate development, specifically regarding the etiology of the Veteran's heart condition and its relationship to service-connected PTSD.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart disability and left knee disability, including as secondary to his right knee disability. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's ischemic heart disease, which led to a need for a heart transplant, is service-connected as it was caused by coronary artery disease during his military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for ischemic heart disease and PTSD are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertensive heart disease as secondary to his service-connected hypertension.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for asbestosis has been denied. The issues of service connection for type II diabetes, heart condition (also claimed as congestive heart failure), osteoarthritis, hyperlipidemia, and TDIU have not been addressed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities cause the need for aid and attendance, which meets the criteria for SMC based on need for aid and attendance.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's cardiovascular disorder, finding that it is due to herbicide exposure during his service in Korea.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to January 27, 2011. The Board denied the claim for TDIU based on the evidence showing that his service-connected conditions did not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board found that there is no evidence of a current disability (hypertension) in service or within one year following separation, and the Veteran did not provide credible evidence linking his current condition to service. The Board also determined that hypertension was not proximately due to or aggravated by service-connected diabetes mellitus or CAD.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to a lack of verification of herbicide exposure and for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records.

The Veteran is granted service connection for coronary artery disease and hypertensive heart disease, but the effective date cannot be earlier than February 9, 2007.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder has been granted and assigned a rating based on his secondary service-connected disabilities. The claims for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and ischemic heart disease have also been granted as they are presumed to be related to herbicide exposure.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma has been granted based on presumptive exposure to herbicides. The claims for chronic lymphocytic leukemia and ischemic heart disease have also been granted under the same presumption of exposure.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic lymphocytic leukemia has been granted as a result of presumed exposure to herbicides during his military service. The claim for ischemic heart disease has also been granted based on this same presumption.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease has been granted due to the presumptive link between herbicide exposure and this condition. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia have not been linked to his military service in this manner.