Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2018

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease is rated at 100 percent, and the claim for service connection of stroke residuals, bilateral hand condition, bilateral foot condition, and memory loss are remanded.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims due to incomplete evidence and a canceled hearing. The claims for bilateral knee degenerative joint disease, degenerative joint disease lumbar spine, right ankle disorder, coronary artery disease (claimed as heart attack and heart problems), and an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD) are being returned to the RO for further development.

The Veteran's memory loss is found to be proximately due to his service-connected CAD, and the claim for secondary service connection is granted.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to be obtained and the appeal must be remanded for further action.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease is currently rated at 60 percent throughout the appeal period, based on left ventricular ejection fraction between 30 to 50 percent. The rating will remain at this level as there is no evidence of chronic congestive heart failure or a workload of less than 3 METs.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at the lowest possible non-compensable level.,Tinnitus has been assigned a maximum schedular rating of 10 percent, which cannot be increased further under current criteria.,Sleep apnea is currently rated at the highest available schedular rating (50%), and no higher rating is warranted based on the evidence provided.,The Veteran's heart disorder is currently rated at 30%, with no higher rating being granted due to lack of specific findings supporting a higher level of disability.,PTSD has been rated as 30% prior to October 31, 2013, and 50% thereafter. No higher ratings are warranted based on the evidence provided.

The Board has remanded all issues on appeal due to the need for additional development, including obtaining service personnel and medical records, scheduling examinations, and seeking private treatment records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease is granted due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during his service at RTAFB Nakhon Phanom. The claim for bilateral hearing loss is remanded as the January 2011 VA examination report is insufficient.

The Veteran's claimed conditions were not found to be related to service or due to exposure to herbicide agents (Agent Orange). Service connection was denied for all conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted. The Board found that the Veteran met the criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD based on his reported stressor and established by VA psychologists, and thus service connection is granted. For the heart disorder, the case is remanded as further evidence is needed to determine if there was herbicide agent exposure during service.

The appeals regarding service connection and earlier effective dates for various disabilities have been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for heart disorder, strokes, and major depressive disorder due to insufficient evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder condition, right shoulder condition, and left eye macula condition are denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for heart condition is denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for gastritis and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is denied.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral tinnitus and left carpal tunnel syndrome are denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for right carpal tunnel syndrome is denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for depression is denied.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease, presumed due to his exposure to Agent Orange during service in Vietnam, is considered the principal cause of death from decompensated cardiomyopathy.

The Board denied service connection for coronary artery disease, hypertension, and cholelithiasis as the Veteran did not have exposure to herbicide agents during his service.,Service connection was also denied due to a lack of evidence showing that any of these conditions were incurred in or related to service.

The Board denied the appellant's request for a higher rating for his bilateral hearing loss and also denied his claim for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for the hearing loss, as it was rated at 30 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available under VA guidelines. For TDIU, the Board determined that the appellant's combined disability ratings were sufficient to meet the criteria but concluded he could still maintain substantially gainful employment due to his work history and current physical condition.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a heart disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depression and PTSD. The issues of whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims of entitlement to service connection for skin rashes and sciatica are remanded.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease is rated at 60 percent for the remaining period on appeal prior to April 4, 2018. Service connection for tinnitus has been granted.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim for service connection for a heart disorder. The Veteran's service treatment records indicate he had a myocardial infarction, but relevant medical records are missing. A VA examination is needed to determine if his current heart disorders are related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease with post-surgical scars is rated at 60 percent, but the Board finds that this rating adequately reflects his disability and does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.