Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2017

The Veteran's appeal includes multiple issues related to his service-connected conditions, including an earlier effective date for ischemic heart disease and PTSD. The Board has granted a higher initial rating of 70 percent for PTSD but the other claims are pending further development.

The Board dismissed the appeal for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for coronary artery disease, status post stents associated with herbicide exposure. The claim for an earlier effective date on the basis of CUE for PTSD was denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is entitled to service connection for a hearing loss disability of the left ear and has found no legal basis for awarding service connection for a dental disorder for compensation purposes. The remaining issues have been remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for ischemic heart disease was denied, and his TDIU claim is remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has determined that service connection is warranted for tinnitus and irritable bowel syndrome (to include as secondary to PTSD), but not for bilateral hearing loss, erectile dysfunction, skin cancer, or degenerative joint disease of the left knee or right knee. The Veteran's hypertension was also found not to be related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, coronary artery disease, and an acquired psychiatric disability (severe psychotic depression and/or posttraumatic stress disorder) due to herbicide exposure. The Veteran's hypertension is being remanded as it was not addressed in the decision.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including major depressive disorder, rheumatic heart disease, rheumatic fever, and inactive tuberculosis pleurisy with residual restrictive lung disease, resulted in a combined rating of 80 percent. The Board found that the criteria for a TDIU were met effective May 21, 2010.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU is being remanded due to the need to consider his back disability in addition to his heart disability, and because new evidence has been added since the last decision.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not include a disability rated as permanent and total, thus he does not meet the legal criteria for entitlement to specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant.

The Veteran's heart disability is not service-connected, and the Board finds that there is no evidence of a current disability. The appellant did not provide any credible medical opinion linking his heart disability to service.,There is insufficient evidence to find that the Veteran had a foot disability causally related to or aggravated by active service.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, is etiologically related to his active service. The Board finds that the Veteran's hypertension is at least as likely as not (a 50 percent or greater probability) proximately due to or the result of his service-connected conditions, including coronary artery disease and type II diabetes.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and coronary artery disease, as well as his request for an effective date earlier than May 17, 2011, for the grant of service connection for glaucoma and ocular hypertension with dry eye syndrome. The Veteran's headaches were also rated at 30 percent disabling.

The Veteran's heart condition is rated at 30 percent, effective April 9, 2007. The Board also granted entitlement to TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's exposure to Project SHAD test agents, which is necessary to decide his claims for service connection.

The Veteran's multiple disabilities, including his vision disorders and other health conditions, have resulted in him needing regular aid and attendance from another person since September 8, 2016. His income does not exceed the maximum annual pension rate for nonservice-connected disability pension.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for ischemic heart disease, cardiomyopathy, and penile sarcoma cannot be granted as service connection due to a lack of evidence of herbicide exposure during his military service.

The Veteran's heart disability is not service-connected as there was no diagnosed condition during or after service.,Service connection for allergic rhinitis has been granted, with the condition considered to be a continuation of symptoms from service.,Service connection for acne, folliculitis, and atopic dermatitis has been granted, with the condition considered to be related to in-service treatment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's heart condition is not related to service or a service-connected disability, and thus denied his claim for service connection. The issue of entitlement to an increased rating for gastric ulcers with anemia remains pending.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease is presumed to have been incurred in service as a result of herbicide exposure. The Board finds that the left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome was at least as likely as not incurred in or caused during service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from performing gainful employment for which his education and occupational experience would otherwise qualify him prior to August 5, 2014.