Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the claims for ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus type II, and eye disability (claimed as blindness) due to potential service connection based on herbicide agent exposure. The VA will obtain additional records and provide a medical opinion regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for thyroid disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, and heart disorder. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to military service or any presumptive exposure.

The Veteran's service connection claim for coronary artery disease, claimed as ischemic heart disease, is granted because he was exposed to herbicide agents during his military service and the condition became manifest after service.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, type II, peripheral neuropathy of the left foot, and ischemic heart disease were denied as there was no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicide agents or other environmental contaminants that could cause these conditions. The Board found insufficient medical evidence to establish a nexus between the current disabilities and service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence of current symptomatology for the service-connected coronary artery disease (CAD). A new VA examination is required.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but the case is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding other issues including a sleep disorder, heart disease, PTSD, and effective dates.

The claim for service connection for heart disability is reopened and remanded due to the need for additional development, including an examination by a clinician.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to insufficient opinions regarding his ankle, knee, hip, shoulder, and neck conditions. The Board also notes that there is a need for an opinion on whether ischemic heart disease is related to PTSD.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for a heart condition due to herbicide exposure, as there is insufficient evidence and further development is needed.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU rating due to his service-connected disabilities, and the effective date for tinnitus service connection is set at October 5, 2005.

The Board has remanded the case for referral to the Director of Compensation and Pension Service for an opinion on whether the Veteran is unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(b) from September 28, 2007, through March 6, 2011.

The Board has granted the reopening of the claim for service connection for coronary artery disease, but denied the claim itself due to lack of evidence linking the condition to military service.

Service connection denied for unspecified sleep disorder. PTSD rating increased to 70% from October 20, 2015 and TDIU granted from that date.,Petitions to reopen service connection claims for pinched nerve in the neck (also claimed as a neck disorder), bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, heart disorder, skin disorder of the feet were remanded.

The Veteran's service connection claims for a heart disability and a psychiatric disorder have been denied as the evidence does not support a causal relationship to his military service.

The Veteran's petition to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for a groin disability is granted. The Board finds that the evidence received since the last final denial relates to unestablished facts necessary to substantiate the claim and raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim. However, further development is required due to outstanding VA treatment records and additional examination is needed.

The Board has decided that further development is needed due to the inadequacy of the VA medical opinion regarding the relationship between sleep apnea and service-connected diabetes mellitus, type II and coronary artery disease. The Veteran's claim will be remanded for a new examination.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease, caused by exposure to herbicide agents in the Republic of Vietnam, substantially contributed to his death. Service connection for the cause of his death is granted.

The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings and TDIU have been dismissed due to a withdrawal request.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease as due to herbicide agent exposure is denied because he does not have a present diagnosis of ischemic heart disease.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for non-service connected death pension and service connection for the cause of his death, finding that there was no evidence linking any of his conditions to his active military service.