Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2016

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development regarding his claims of service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, hypertension, cataracts, heart disorder, and hypothyroidism, all claimed as due to exposure to herbicides in service.

The Board has determined that the appellant does not have a current diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome and therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran did not file a timely Substantive Appeal regarding the April 2011 rating decision, and therefore the appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's heart condition, claimed as ischemic heart disease, was not service-connected due to lack of evidence showing it was caused by or aggravated by service. The Board found that the Veteran's PTSD did not cause his current heart condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current heart disabilities, including coronary artery disease, ischemic cardiomyopathy, and a history of myocardial infarction (heart attack), are not related to his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, coronary artery disease, and a compensable disability rating for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for a heart condition, to include atrial fibrillation. However, further development is needed as the Veteran's current heart disorder may be related to his period of service or his service-connected PTSD with anxiety disorder and insomnia.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a dental disability and heart disability has been denied as the evidence does not support the claims.

The Veteran was granted service connection for a right shoulder disorder, rheumatoid factor, and heart disorder effective from September 9, 2010. The claims were based on the Veteran's statements of having these conditions since at least 1992.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary before the claims can be decided on their merits.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine if the Veteran's service-connected psychoneurosis contributed substantially or materially to his death, and to obtain relevant medical records.

The Veteran's service connection claims for residuals of a closed head injury, sleep apnea, and ischemic heart disease were granted. The claim for an initial rating higher than 100 percent for ischemic heart disease from January 22, 2007 to April 30, 2007 was also granted. However, the Veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss and TDIU prior to May 29, 2008 were denied.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability and hypertensive heart disease, as well as service connection for diabetes mellitus. The decision also noted that macular degeneration was caused by service-connected hypertension.

The Board has determined that the appeal is remanded to obtain additional medical records and a medical opinion regarding whether any condition diagnosed at the time of the Veteran's death was caused or aggravated by military service, including exposure to asbestos as a combat engineer.

The Veteran is seeking a total rating based on unemployability due to service-connected disability prior to April 23, 2014. The Board has remanded the case for further development and readjudication.

The Veteran's appeal includes claims for various disabilities, including upper cervical strain, degenerative arthritis of the left knee, bilateral hearing loss, and several psychiatric, musculoskeletal, and respiratory conditions. The Board has ordered a remand to address these issues due to the need for additional development.

The Board has determined that the veteran was exposed to herbicides during service at Fort Drum and his ischemic heart disease is presumed to have resulted from this exposure.