Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2017

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery bypass graft scar is painful on palpation and warrants a 10 percent rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Veteran was granted presumptive service connection for conditions due to exposure to herbicides, including Agent Orange.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and lumbar degenerative changes, collectively preclude him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease due to herbicide exposure is being remanded as additional development is needed, including a VA examination.

The Veteran's service treatment records are unavailable, and there is no medical evidence linking frostbite of the bilateral upper and lower extremities or coronary artery disease to his military service.,While the Veteran asserts that his heart condition is related to service due to exposure to herbicides, he lacks the necessary medical expertise to provide such an opinion.

The Veteran's surviving spouse was granted VA death pension benefits, but the appellant did not submit evidence of payments made for expenses related to her mother's last sickness or burial. The claim is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining SSA disability records. The main issue is whether the Veteran can establish service connection for his claimed heart attack and CAD as secondary to his service-connected anxiety and depression disorder.

The Veteran's claim for erectile dysfunction has been granted, with a finding that it was caused or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities. The other issues are addressed in the remand portion of the decision.

The Veteran's claimed conditions were not shown to be related to service, and there is no evidence of herbicide exposure. Therefore, the claims for service connection are denied.

The Veteran's service connection claim for ischemic heart disease is pending. The Board has granted a 30 percent rating for PTSD prior to October 9, 2012 and denied any higher ratings thereafter.

The Veteran is granted SMC at the aid and attendance rate due to his blindness, which requires regular assistance from a spouse.,Service connection for loss of use of the left elbow is granted as secondary to service-connected diabetic nephropathy.

The Veteran's initial and increased ratings for coronary artery disease (CAD) have been granted, with a rating of 30 percent effective March 8, 2016.

The Veteran's heart condition, specifically ischemic heart disease, is being remanded for further examination and opinion regarding its etiology. The appeal will be reconsidered after the additional development.

The Board denied service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, impotency, skin rash, sleep apnea, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities as secondary to type II diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's claim for increased disability rating for migraine headaches was granted with a 50% rating effective February 2, 2007. The claim for TDIU was also granted with an effective date of February 5, 2014.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of a heart condition and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's PTSD warrants a disability rating of 30 percent prior to March 31, 2012 and 70 percent thereafter.,The Veteran's ischemic heart disease is manifested by more than one episode of acute congestive heart failure in the past year; or a workload of greater than 3 METs but not greater than 5 METs resulting in dyspnea, fatigue, angina, dizziness, or syncope; or left ventricular dysfunction with an ejection fraction of 30 to 50 percent. Therefore, a rating of 60 percent is warranted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to maintain substantially gainful employment, and the Board has determined that a TDIU is warranted.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, vision blurs, and coronary artery disease. The claims for increased ratings for mood disorder and back disability are being remanded for additional development. The TDIU claim is also being remanded.