Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension and stroke residuals due to his failure to report for VA examinations without good cause.,Service connection is being remanded as there was no current diagnosis of ischemic heart disease, and the evidence does not show a compensable degree of disability within one year of separation from service.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and CAD have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has granted service connection for ischemic heart disease, prostate cancer, and diabetes mellitus type II due to exposure to herbicides in the Korean DMZ during active duty.

The Veteran's heart disability, which includes aortic heart valve disease, was granted a 100% evaluation effective from September 23, 2013. The Veteran's depressive disorder and hypertension were not found to warrant higher initial evaluations.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for updated VA treatment records and an updated VA examination to assess his current coronary artery disease (CAD) disability, which could significantly impact his TDIU claim.

The Board has ordered an addendum opinion to determine the likely etiology of the Veteran's heart disability, specifically whether it is caused or aggravated by his service-connected hypertension.

The Board has remanded four issues: service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) secondary to service-connected persistent depressive disorder with anxious distress, service connection for hypertension due to in-service herbicide exposure, an initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent for coronary artery disease (CAD), and an effective date prior to June 2, 2014, for the award of service connection for CAD. The Veteran's OSA may be related to his service-connected depressive disorder with anxious distress, but no examiner has provided a baseline level of severity or degree of disability resulting from aggravation. Hypertension is not on the list of diseases warranting presumptive service connection based on herbicide exposure, but there is now sufficient evidence associating hypertension with Agent Orange exposure. The Veteran should be afforded VA examinations to clarify these issues.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a head injury, TBI with residual headaches, hearing loss, heart disability, elevated cholesterol, liver disability, and kidney disability is granted. However, the claims for service connection for these conditions are based on direct evidence rather than any presumption or secondary relationship.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent since November 18, 2016. The Board also granted a TDIU based on the combined effect of multiple service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease rating was reduced from 60% to 30%, effective January 1, 2014. The Board finds that the reduction was not proper and remands for further action on his claims of increased rating, TDIU, and SMC.

The Veteran is granted an effective date of December 21, 2014 for his service connection for coronary artery disease with implanted automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator and multiple stent replacement. The claim was filed after the August 31, 2010 liberalizing law establishing presumptive service connection for ischemic heart disease (including CAD).

The Board has granted service connection for hypertensive heart disease due to lower extremity peripheral arterial occlusive disease. The issues of entitlement to service connection for right and left lower extremity neurological disabilities, a thoracolumbar spine disability, and bilateral lower extremity peripheral arterial occlusive diseases are remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disability, finding that there is no causal relationship between his in-service diagnoses of angina and his current heart disability. The weight of the evidence supports this decision.

The Veteran's cause of death was due to heart conditions and diabetes. The Board denied service connection for the cause of death as there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to outstanding private and VA treatment records, as well as a need for a VA examination to determine service connection for heart conditions.

Service connection for ischemic heart disease, hypertension, and a mental health disorder (depression) is denied. Ratings are granted for right shoulder strain with osteoarthrosis and right ankle arthrosis, but ratings are denied for other conditions.

The Board has determined that the Appellant's claimed service in the U.S. Marine Corps cannot be verified and therefore, the claim for service connection is being remanded to request verification from the U.S. Department of the Navy.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's non-VA care at Firelands Regional Medical Center from August 22, 2014 to August 25, 2014 was for a condition of such nature (myocardial infarction) where delay in obtaining treatment would have been hazardous to his life or health and that VA facilities were not feasibly available. Therefore, payment or reimbursement is granted.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and potential conflicts in veteran status.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional records from SSA and VA treatment providers.