Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2016

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional examination and development of records.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease is presumed to be due to exposure to herbicides in service, and the Board finds that he was exposed while docked in Da Nang Harbor. Therefore, service connection for ischemic heart disease is granted.

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

The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease, status-post myocardial infarction, was manifested by intermittent chest pain and atrial fibrillation on echocardiogram between July 1, 1996, and February 10, 2003.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death, and the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal at this time.

The Veteran's claims are being remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records and a new VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, type II diabetes mellitus, and a heart disorder (diagnosed as coronary artery disease) as secondary to hypertension due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has determined that an effective date of December 19, 2008 is granted for the grant of service connection for coronary artery disease.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for ischemic heart disease and a higher initial rating from May 1, 2008 to December 22, 2010. The evidence did not show that the Veteran filed any claims prior to May 16, 2010.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a Travel Board hearing at the earliest available opportunity.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for various service-connected disabilities were denied. The atherosclerotic heart disease was not rated higher than 30 percent prior to January 26, 2015 and 60 percent thereafter. The left hand numbness was not rated higher than 10 percent prior to March 4, 2013 and 20 percent thereafter. Meralgia paresthetica of the left thigh was not rated higher than 10 percent prior to March 4, 2013 and 20 percent thereafter. Restless leg syndrome did not meet any compensable rating criteria.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension, residuals of a stroke, bilateral hearing loss, heart disorder, and left knee disorder are all service-connected.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for heart disease, including as secondary to herbicide exposure and/or service-connected diabetes mellitus, is being remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records.

The Board has determined that the cause of the Veteran's death, which was congestive heart failure, is related to his service and grants service connection for the cause of his death.

The Veteran's heart disease is not service-connected for retroactive benefits under Nehmer v. Veterans Administration of the Gov't of the U.S., and an earlier effective date for DIC benefits cannot be granted.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to a failure to obtain all relevant VA treatment records.

The Board finds that the Veteran's CAD with congestive heart failure and bilateral upper and lower peripheral neuropathy are etiologically related to an unknown viral infection contracted in-service. The claims for service connection are granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of ischemic heart disease and his currently diagnosed heart condition is not related to his military service, including herbicide exposure. Therefore, the claim for service connection for a heart disability is denied.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease are service-connected, with the diabetes rated at 20% and the coronary artery disease rated at 60%. The Board has determined that these conditions do not meet the criteria for a higher rating or TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn by the appellant, and he is content with his current VA rating.