Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2018

The Veteran's appeal for an increased disability rating for coronary artery disease status post tent associated with herbicide exposure has been withdrawn.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the Veteran's death, and no longer has jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this case.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease meets the criteria for a disability rating of 30 percent, effective from January 2014.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as the Veteran's representative withdrew their appeal in January 2018.

The Veteran is granted special monthly pension based on the need for aid and attendance due to confusion, inability to safely use a stove to prepare meals, and other needs such as bathing and dressing.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for ischemic heart disease is being remanded due to the need for a contemporaneous examination and testing.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions are not related to his service, including exposure to herbicides in Vietnam. As such, he is denied service connection for all of his claims.

The Board denied service connection for coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus, finding no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicide agents or other direct causation.,Both conditions were not shown during active service and do not have a continuity of symptoms since separation from service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for ischemic heart disease and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities are granted, with the latter being secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral cataracts and a skin disability are pending. The Veteran is seeking increased ratings for PTSD, coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, and tinnitus.,VA has granted the Veteran an effective date of October 5, 2010 for the award of service connection for coronary artery disease due to his service-connected disabilities in combination. Effective March 4, 2002, VA also granted a TDIU based on the combined impact of multiple service-connected conditions.,The Veteran's claim for increased ratings remains pending and will be addressed by the Board.,The Veteran is seeking an earlier effective date for his award of service connection for coronary artery disease. The Board finds that no earlier effective date than March 4, 2002 is assignable due to lack of a prior formal or informal claim within one year of separation from service.,VA has granted the Veteran's TDIU based on the combined impact of multiple service-connected conditions.

The Board found no evidence of a heart condition during service or within one year following separation, and thus denied the Veteran's claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he requested the withdrawal of his appeals.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus type 2, heart disability, tumors on the left wrist and back, and tremors in her hands and wrists. The appeal will be remanded to allow for further development of evidence related to these claims.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a cardiac disability, including coronary artery disease and valvular dysfunction, is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and consideration of herbicide exposure as a potential cause.

The Board has granted service connection for ischemic heart disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus due to Agent Orange exposure, but denied service connection for Alzheimer's disease (dementia) as it is not associated with active service or events therein.

The Board found no evidence of exposure to Agent Orange or other herbicides, and the Veteran's claimed conditions are not shown to be related to service.

The Veteran's heart disability is being remanded for a new VA medical opinion to determine if it is at least as likely as not caused by or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD and depressive disorder.

The Veteran withdrew all his pending claims, including those related to skin condition (chloracne), kidney condition, neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, and heart condition (ischemic heart disease).

The Veteran's claims for service connection for ischemic heart disease and residuals of stomach cancer were denied as there was no evidence of an in-service event, injury or disease related to these conditions. The Veteran did not meet the criteria for presumptive service connection based on herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's psychiatric disability is rated at 70 percent, the maximum rating available under Diagnostic Code 9413. The other conditions have not been granted service connection.