Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2018

The Board has granted service connection for heart disease and Type 2 diabetes on a presumptive basis due to exposure to herbicide agents while serving at the Takhli AFB from April 1966 to May 1967.

The Board found that the Veteran's coronary artery disease is not related to his military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents and to obtain medical opinions regarding his diabetes mellitus type II and coronary artery disease.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining VA and private treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the nature and cause of the Veteran's heart disability.

The Board found no evidence of a chronic heart condition in service and concluded that the current heart condition with stent is not related to service. The Veteran's chest pain complaints during service are considered an acute presentation, and there is no medical evidence suggesting coronary artery disease existed during service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA and private treatment records, as well as a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his heart disability. Additionally, a VA examination will be conducted to assess the current severity of his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Board found that the Veteran did not serve in Vietnam and was not exposed to herbicides, thus denying service connection for all claimed conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran was exposed to Agent Orange during his service in Vietnam and Thailand, which is sufficient to grant presumptive service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, leiomyosarcoma, and coronary artery disease.

The Veteran's claims for prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction, urinary incontinence, diabetes mellitus, type II, heart disability (presumed to be atrial fibrillation or other cardiac arrhythmia), and hypertension were denied as service connection could not be established due to lack of evidence supporting herbicide exposure during service. The presumptive provisions for Agent Orange exposure did not apply.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful employment prior to September 16, 2015.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease, prostate cancer, and type II diabetes mellitus are presumed to be due to herbicide exposure in service. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for COPD, but denied the remaining issues of entitlement to service connection for coronary artery disease, hypertension, and degenerative bone disease.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for aortic valve regurgitation and replacement (claimed as heart disease) prior to the Board's decision.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current heart or lung disorder and thus denied her claims for service connection.

The Veteran's service records do not show a diagnosis of ischemic heart disease or coronary artery disease. The VA examiner found no evidence of these conditions and opined that the incidental findings of calcifications in his coronary arteries were more indicative of diffuse atherosclerotic process rather than ischemic heart disease.

The Veteran is granted service connection for coronary artery disease, including as due to exposure to herbicide agents. The condition is presumed related to Agent Orange exposure.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling the Veteran for a VA examination to assess his heart condition.

The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease was evaluated at 10 percent prior to September 3, 2010 and at 30 percent from September 3, 2010 to May 15, 2014. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating during this period.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability for which service connection can be granted, specifically bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The claims for skin cancer, sebaceous cysts, heart disease, and COPD are also denied as there is no evidence of a nexus to service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA and private medical records, preparing a VA medical opinion, and readjudicating the claim.