Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2017

The Veteran's claim for service connection for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is granted due to his in-service exposure to waters offshore Vietnam. Service connection is denied for coronary artery disease.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records, conducting a PTSD examination to assess the severity of his service-connected condition, and addressing other psychiatric diagnoses. The TDIU claim remains inextricably intertwined with the increased evaluation claim for ischemic heart disease.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, especially in combination, are of a nature and severity as to preclude him from engaging in work. The Board finds that the criteria for TDIU have been met.

The Veteran's claims for right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, acquired psychiatric disability, heart disability, extremity numbness, dizziness, eye disability, leg disability, back disability, and neck disability are all denied as the evidence does not support a connection to service or any incident of service origin.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease is rated at 100% since April 25, 2005.,Since April 14, 2008, the Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70%. The rating was increased from 30% to 70% effective March 5, 2015.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease was granted with an effective date of June 20, 2005. The Board also found that the earlier effective date of February 16, 2006, should be granted due to his Nehmer class membership and the liberalizing statute.

The Veteran's death was due to a nonservice-connected disability, and the appellant is not entitled to burial benefits in excess of $300.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that COPD and CAD were not caused or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the nature and etiology of his claimed pulmonary fibrosis, heart disorder, and epilepsy.

The Board found that the appellant did not have service connection for a heart disorder, diabetes mellitus, or diabetic neuropathy of bilateral lower extremities due to his INACDUTRA service. The claims were denied as there was no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicide agents and no current disability related to these conditions.

The Veteran's combined rating for his service-connected conditions is 90 percent, which meets the criteria for a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities. However, the evidence does not support a finding that he is unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation solely due to these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's heart disability is not related to his active service and does not qualify for service connection based on exposure to herbicide agents. The Veteran also does not have a service-connected disability, thus preventing him from qualifying for TDIU.

The Board found that the Veteran's heart disorders and bladder cancer with benign prostatic hypertrophy were not incurred or aggravated by service, and denied both claims.

The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease is rated at 60 percent, and the Board found that an extraschedular rating was not warranted. The Veteran also sought a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities, but the Board denied this claim as well.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's heart disability, including cardiomyopathy, is at least as likely as not aggravated by his service-connected delusional disorder.

The Board found that the Veteran did not have service in Vietnam, and therefore could not establish herbicide exposure for purposes of presumptive service connection. As a result, the effective date for the grant of service connection for CAD is set at December 1, 2010.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to fully and fairly consider the Veteran's claims, including obtaining treatment records and providing a VA examination for PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including contacting the U.S. Army Joint Services Records Research Center (JSRRC) and obtaining SSA records.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for a heart condition, which he claims was caused by exposure to chemicals during his active duty in Guam. The Board has determined that additional development is needed due to the complexity of the case and the need to obtain relevant medical records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his PTSD and ischemic heart disease, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.