Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical records and a need for an appropriate medical examination to determine if any currently diagnosed disabilities are related to herbicide exposure during service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary heart disease was granted on November 30, 2015 with an effective date of that day. The Board denied a request for an earlier effective date.

The Board denied service connection for hip, back, heart, hypertension, and OSA disabilities. The claims were not reopened.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to herbicide exposure, as they have not been verified. The Veteran is required to provide further evidence of his alleged exposure and a VA examination or opinion will be obtained if necessary.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including major depressive and generalized anxiety disorder, bilateral plantar fasciitis, hypertensive heart disease, instability of the left knee, limitation of motion of the left knee, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. His TDIU claim is granted.

The Board has decided that a VA medical opinion is needed to determine if the Veteran's death was due to his presumed inservice exposure to herbicidal agents and/or a service-connected disability. The claim will be remanded for this purpose.

The Board denied service connection for ischemic heart disease and hypertension, finding no evidence of onset or manifestation during service or within one year post-service. The medical evidence did not support a link between the conditions and active duty exposure to herbicides.

The Veteran's hypertensive heart disease is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board finds no basis to increase this rating as there are no symptoms of congestive heart failure or left ventricular dysfunction with an ejection fraction between 30 and 50 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions have rendered him in need of regular aid and attendance, which has been granted for special monthly compensation.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development and consideration of the Veteran's claims for service connection due to missing VA treatment records and incomplete medical opinions.

The Board is remanding the claims for service connection for ischemic heart disease and type II diabetes mellitus due to Agent Orange exposure because there is insufficient evidence to determine if the Veteran had in-service exposure at an applicable Air Force base. The case will be sent back for further development, including verifying the Veteran's reported visits to Nakhon Phanom and Ubon Air Base.

The Board cannot make a fully-informed decision on the issue of entitlement to service connection for a heart condition because no VA examiner has adequately opined on the nature of any heart condition, whether any heart condition is etiologically related to active duty service, and whether the Veteran’s documented coronary artery calcifications are evidence of ischemic heart disease.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran. The AOJ will review this additional evidence and readjudicate the claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including hypertension, sinus disorder, respiratory disorder, heart disorder, stomach disorder, eye disorder, and vertigo/TBI residuals, have been denied as there is no current evidence of a disability in question.

The Board is remanding the cases due to the need for a statement of the case addressing the restoration of service connection and effective date issues.

The Veteran's service-connected ischemic heart disease alone renders him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, and he is also eligible for special monthly compensation based on housebound status due to multiple service-connected disabilities. However, he does not meet the criteria for regular aid and attendance benefits.

The claim of service connection for a lung disability due to asbestos exposure is reopened, but the issue remains remanded. The claim of service connection for ischemic heart disease due to herbicide exposure is also remanded.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for ischemic heart disease and remanded it to verify the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents while stationed at Udon Air Force Base in Thailand.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type II, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, depression, and anxiety), diabetic neuropathy of the left hand, right hand, left lower extremity, and right lower extremity due to in-service herbicide agent exposure. The Regional Office should obtain any outstanding service treatment records, military personnel records, and post-service treatment records for the Veteran's active service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are not severe enough to require regular aid and attendance, thus his claim for special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance is denied.