Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA and private medical records and a pulmonary examination.

The Veteran's current diagnosis of coronary artery disease is service connected due to presumed exposure to Agent Orange during his service in the Republic of Vietnam.

The Veteran is found unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities, which include prostate cancer, Parkinson's disease, and various neurological and musculoskeletal conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining treatment records and providing an addendum opinion from a VA examiner regarding whether the Veteran's current heart disability is related to service.

The Veteran's sleep apnea and ischemic heart disease claims are being remanded for additional development, including new examinations to address the sufficiency of the current evidence and any potential service connection.

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to be related to his military service and is considered a current disability.,Bilateral hearing loss was not found to be related to the Veteran's military service.

The case is being remanded to comply with the procedural requirements for a simultaneously contested claim. The appellants and other interested parties will be provided with the content of their substantive appeals, and the claims filed by B. T. H. and D. H. for accrued benefits will be adjudicated.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of his heart conditions is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and opinion.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for ischemic heart disease and hepatitis A. The claim for ischemic heart disease was denied because there is no current diagnosis of the condition. The August 2012 rating decision denying hepatitis A was not found to contain CUE, as it was based on correct facts at the time. There has also been no new and material evidence received to reopen the hepatitis A claim.

The Veteran has been granted service connection for ischemic heart disease and Type II diabetes mellitus due to presumed exposure to herbicides, including Agent Orange. The claims for basal cell carcinoma, rectal cancer, hypertension, and parathyroid condition are pending.,Further VA examinations will be required to determine the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to his in-service noise exposure. The Board also finds that the Veteran is unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities, including CAD.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for DM, CAD, and a thyroid disorder due to lack of evidence showing exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam.

The Veteran's hypertension and coronary artery disease are not considered to be caused or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD with depression.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and ensuring substantial compliance with previous remand directives. The TDIU claim is inextricably intertwined with the increased rating claim.

The Veteran's atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (ACAD) status-post myocardial infarction with stent placement is currently rated at 30 percent prior to August 12, 2013 and 100 percent thereafter.,For the entire appeal period, an evaluation in excess of 30 percent for ACAD has not been met.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of ischemic heart disease as there is no current diagnosis of IHD in the medical records.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and records, particularly regarding his coronary artery disease and bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has found that the Veteran had service in Vietnam and has been diagnosed with an ischemic heart disorder, a disease listed in VA regulations. Therefore, the Board grants service connection for ischemic heart disease on a presumptive basis as a result of herbicide exposure.

The Board has denied service connection for ischemic heart disease and diabetes mellitus, type II as the evidence does not show a direct in-service incurrence or exposure to herbicide agents.,Both conditions are currently diagnosed but there is no credible evidence of their onset during active duty.

The Veteran's claim for hypertension was denied due to lack of evidence linking the condition to service. Service connection for coronary artery disease is granted based on exposure to herbicides in Vietnam, while peripheral vascular disease is not related to service and thus denied.