Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2017

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for rheumatic fever, rheumatic heart disease, right knee disability, and left knee disability. The claims were previously denied in a July 2013 rating decision, which became final due to lack of appeal within one year.

The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease does not meet the criteria for a higher rating in excess of 60 percent, and his TDIU claim is also denied as he can still engage in substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, low back disorder, right knee disorder, and left knee disorder due to a lack of evidence showing direct exposure to herbicides during active duty service. The conditions were not found to be related to service or to any in-service event including exposure to herbicides.

The Veteran is found to have ischemic heart disease, presumed due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam. The claim for service connection is granted as of the date of death.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals from gallbladder removal and heart disorder, as well as his claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent for headaches. The evidence did not support these claims.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for ischemic heart disease is denied as his symptoms do not meet the criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic code.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension and coronary artery disease to obtain a medical opinion regarding the service connection claim, as well as to attempt to secure any missing records. The Veteran is also required to provide any private treatment records that may be relevant.

The Veteran's current diagnoses of ischemic heart disease and atrial fibrillation are presumed to be related to his service in the Republic of Vietnam, meeting the criteria for presumptive service connection.

The Board has denied service connection for heart disability and kidney condition, including loss of kidney. The remaining claims for peripheral neuropathy, diabetic retinopathy, and hypertension are pending.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities of coronary artery disease, type II diabetes mellitus, and posttraumatic stress disorder rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to February 1, 2016.

The Board has granted service connection for ischemic heart disease due to exposure to Agent Orange, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of coronary artery disease was denied as there was no pending claim prior to June 27, 2002 and the March 1969 rating decision denying service connection did not involve CUE.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's ischemic heart disease is related to his exposure to herbicides during service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current heart disability due to disease or injury in service, and denied his claim for service connection. The Veteran's costochondritis was rated at 10 percent under Diagnostic Code 5321.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his coronary artery disease (CAD) across different periods, finding that the evidence did not meet the criteria for higher disability ratings under the applicable rating schedule.

The Veteran's appeals for increased evaluations for his low back disability, right foot disability, and depression were denied. The appeal for an evaluation in excess of 30 percent for hypertensive heart disease was also denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran did not have any service-connected disabilities for which he could be granted service connection. Specifically, there is no evidence of a current disability related to his military service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal on the issues of increased initial ratings for coronary artery disease, prior to April 18, 2017; diabetes mellitus, type II; and peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity.

The Board denied the claim as there was no evidence showing that any of the Veteran's service-connected conditions caused his death, and the medical opinions indicated that none of these conditions were related to service.

The Board found that the Veteran's heart disorder was not incurred or aggravated during service and could not be presumed due to herbicide exposure. The evidence did not show any in-service exposure to asbestos, either. As a result, the claim for service connection for a heart disorder is denied.