Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2018

The Veteran's PTSD has been productive of occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood. The Veteran is unable to maintain any form of substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational background due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence and need for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings on tinnitus, hearing loss, and coronary artery disease was withdrawn. The Board granted a 70 percent rating for PTSD with dysthymic disorder effective from May 6, 2011, the date of his claim. The TDIU claim was also granted.

The Veteran's service connection claim for ischemic heart disease, which is presumed due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam, has been granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from obtaining and retaining substantially gainful employment prior to March 16, 2012.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for Hodgkin's disease and ischemic heart disease, both potentially related to exposure to herbicides during his service in Korea. The Board has determined that additional development is needed due to the lack of sufficient evidence regarding herbicide exposure.

The Board found that the Veteran's cardiovascular disease, including hypertension and coronary artery disease, is not shown to be causally or etiologically related to any disease, injury, or incident during service.

The Veteran's heart disorder, including coronary artery disease and atherosclerotic disease, is presumed to be due to herbicide exposure. The Veteran also meets the criteria for TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease (IHD) is denied as there is no current diagnosis of IHD in the record.

The Board has determined that the cause of the Veteran's death was not due to a disability incurred or aggravated in service, and therefore denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for an adequate opinion regarding his coronary artery disease and hypertension, as well as missing VA records.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased evaluation for CAD with cardiac valvulopathy status post angioplasty with stent rated as 60 percent disabling from September 11, 2013 is dismissed. The claim for an effective date earlier than September 11, 2013 for the award of a 60 percent evaluation for CAD is remanded.

The Veteran has been granted service connection for diabetes mellitus and CAD, both presumed due to exposure to Agent Orange. The Veteran's chronic headaches are considered presumptive due to Agent Orange exposure.,Service connection is also granted for emphysema as a result of asbestos exposure, while the Veteran's pneumothorax claim remains pending.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including a new VA examination and review of the claims file.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his coronary artery disease, which was pending since August 1, 2012, has been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus was denied as new and material evidence has not been received. The Board found that the Veteran's peripheral neuropathies are secondary to his diabetes, but there is no evidence of herbicide exposure in Vietnam. Service connection for kidney cancer and its residuals was granted.,The Veteran's heart disorder and hypertension were not determined to be related to service or any incident therein.

The Board is unable to determine the exact cause of the Veteran's service-connected heart disorder, but it has permanently progressed at an abnormally high rate due to his major depressive disorder and lumbar strain with arthritis. The right shoulder disorder, left knee meniscal tear, osteoarthritis of the right knee, bilateral venous insufficiency, and bilateral foot disorder are all found to be related to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for a total combined disability rating prior to January 9, 2007, and TDIU is denied as he was employed by the VA Regional Office in Houston, Texas until February 11, 2008.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination to determine the etiology of any current heart disorder on a presumptive basis or on a non-presumptive direct basis.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to the need for medical opinions and treatment records.