Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2016

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to his request for a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.

The Veteran's death was not caused by his own willful misconduct, and at the time of his death he had service-connected disabilities that were continuously rated totally disabling for less than 10 years prior to his death. Therefore, the criteria for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 are not met.

The Board has granted service connection for DM and PTSD, as well as for low back disability. The Veteran's other claims are pending further development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to scheduling issues for a BVA videoconference hearing. The claims of service connection, effective date determinations, and special monthly compensation are all pending.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and records.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, along with other disabilities, precludes him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and a heart condition, to include as secondary to hypertension, have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not establish a current disability or link between service and these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development and readjudication, including obtaining records from SSA, VA treatment records, and opinions regarding exposure to herbicides in Vietnam.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals regarding the issues of entitlement to a higher initial disability rating for coronary artery disease and an earlier effective date for the condition.

The Board finds that the Veteran's heart disability is etiologically related to his active duty service and grants service connection for a heart disability. The acquired psychiatric disability to include PTSD, claimed as depression and anxiety, is also found to be related to service, including as secondary to the heart disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than May 5, 2009 for the grant of service connection for ischemic heart disease, status post myocardial infarction and CABG. The decision found that no formal or informal claims were filed prior to May 5, 2009.

The Veteran's heart disability, including paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia, has been reopened. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and concussion is denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service. Service connection for a chronic headache disability is also denied.

The Board granted service connection for hypertension and a heart disability (atrial fibrillation) as secondary to herbicide exposure, service-connected disabilities, and hypertension.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability is not service-connected, and his claims for heart disorder, increased rating for diabetes mellitus, and TDIU have been withdrawn. The appeal is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a heart disability and diabetes mellitus, finding that there was no evidence of herbicide exposure in Thailand and thus no basis to grant presumptive service connection. The Board also found insufficient evidence linking these disabilities to service.

The Veteran's cardiovascular disease, to include ischemic heart disease, was not incurred or aggravated in service and may not be presumed to have been so incurred due to lack of evidence of herbicide exposure. The claim is denied.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to inadequate opinions in a previous VA examination.

The Board found that the Veteran's heart disorder was not incurred or aggravated during service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service aboard a Navy vessel in Vietnam constitutes 'brown water' service, entitling him to presumptive service connection for diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease.

The Veteran's appeal is for increased ratings and an earlier effective date. The Board has determined that the criteria for a higher rating are not met, and the claim of entitlement to an earlier effective date is denied.