Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2016

The Board has granted a total, 100 percent, evaluation for heart disability effective October 28, 2015. The Veteran's service-connected heart disability is now manifested by congestive heart failure.

The Veteran's service-connected CAD has resulted in exercise tolerance limited to approximately 3 METs, resulting in angina since at least December 2, 2015. A 60 percent rating is granted for CAD.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service personnel records and a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus are related to his in-service herbicide exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is presumed to have been exposed to herbicides while serving in the inland waterways of Vietnam, which entitles him to service connection for ischemic heart disease and diabetes mellitus type II.

The VA determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of ischemic heart disease, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected coronary artery disease status post-CABG. The TDIU claim is also inextricably intertwined with the current rating issue.

The Veteran is entitled to financial assistance in the purchase of an automobile or other conveyance and adaptive equipment, as well as a higher rate of special monthly compensation based on his need for aid and attendance due to service-connected disabilities resulting in loss of use of both feet.

The Board found no evidence of a direct relationship between the claimed conditions and service, thus denying all claims for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of various conditions were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding that any of these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a statement of the case regarding his claims for an increased rating and earlier effective date for coronary artery disease, as well as for scheduling a videoconference hearing on his claim for TDIU.

The Board found that the Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability and did not find any contributory cause due to service. The cause of death listed on his death certificate was cerebrovascular accident, which is unrelated to service or service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn due to his request for withdrawal of the appeal.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of coronary artery disease due to herbicide exposure is granted. The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for PTSD and TDIU are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's service in Vietnam is presumed, and he has been granted service connection for diabetes mellitus and heart disease as secondary to herbicide exposure.

The Board has determined that further development is needed before the TDIU claim can be adjudicated. The July 2012 VA examination was inadequate as it did not address all service-connected conditions, including PTSD and hearing loss. A new social and industrial survey must be conducted to assess the Veteran's employability.

The Veteran's service-connected migraine headaches, heart disability, psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), cervical spine disability, thoracolumbar spine disability, left knee disability, and skin disability are found to be secondary to his service-connected right knee disability. The Veteran is granted service connection for these conditions on a secondary basis.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed hypertension and heart disorders, including consideration of secondary service connection on the basis of aggravation.

The Board found that the Veteran's heart disorder was not incurred or aggravated by service, and did not manifest to a compensable degree within one year of separation from service. As such, service connection for a heart disorder on a presumptive basis due to herbicide exposure is denied.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease, status-post myocardial infarction and stent placements, has been rated at 60 percent disabling since March 24, 2004. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a higher rating as his condition does not meet or approximate the criteria for a disability rating in excess of 60 percent.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea syndrome and heart condition due to undiagnosed illness related to his Gulf War service have been denied as there is no evidence of such conditions in service or a medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illness, and the preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are causally related to service.