Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2018

The Veteran's coronary artery disease has been rated at 10 percent prior to November 29, 2010 and 60 percent from that date forward. The evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current heart condition did not manifest during his active service and is not shown to be causally or etiologically related to an in-service event, injury, or disease. As such, the claim for service connection for residuals of angioplasty is denied.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the issue of entitlement to an effective date prior to December 22, 2009, for service connection for coronary artery disease.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the IHD rating of 100 percent, finding that the criteria were not met prior to February 4, 2011.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain updated medical records and conduct a VA examination to assess the severity of his ischemic heart disease. The TDIU claim has also been added.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cardiovascular disorder, including ischemic heart disease and coronary artery disease (CAD), is presumed due to his in-service exposure to herbicide agents. The hypertension claim remains pending as it does not fall under the presumptive service connection for herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied. The erectile dysfunction claim is denied, the prostate cancer claim has been granted with a 40% rating from March 14, 2014, and the coronary artery disease claim remains at 30%. Additional evidence is needed to support the bilateral foot disorder claim.

The Board has withdrawn the Veteran's claim for service connection for atrial fibrillation.,The skin cancer (melanoma) claim was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension was denied. The claims for increased ratings for non-proliferative retinopathy and cataracts, CAD, and DM were granted with effective dates of February 2, 2010.

The Veteran's death was caused by mesentary cancer and pleomorphic adenoma of left parotid gland, which are not service-connected. The Board is remanding the case for further development to determine if any of his service-connected disabilities contributed to or were aggravated by these conditions.

The Board finds that there is no evidence of ischemic heart disease and denies the claim. The kidney disorder was not shown to be related to service, including as secondary to diabetes mellitus. Bilateral hearing loss was also not shown to be related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart condition, to include as due to exposure to jet fuel, is denied. The claim for reopening of residuals of a left ankle injury was also denied.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease and a thoracolumbar spine disability, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that the appellant's character of discharge is dishonorable due to willful and persistent misconduct, which bars him from receiving VA compensation benefits for any period of service. As a result, he cannot establish service connection for diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, hypertension, or bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including arteriosclerotic heart disease and multiple other conditions, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's heart disorder, diagnosed as valvular heart disease, is not related to his service or herbicide exposure. As such, the claim for service connection is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected heart disability and its impact on occupational functioning.

The Board has determined that further development of the medical evidence is required to determine if the Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee degenerative arthritis contributed to his death. The case is REMANDED for this purpose.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's heart disease and obstructive sleep apnea are not service-connected, as they were not present in service or within one year of separation, and there is no evidence linking them to service.