Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for ischemic heart disease, which was granted on August 31, 2010 due to the liberalizing regulation adding ischemic heart disease to herbicide agent-related diseases, is denied as there is no legal basis for awarding benefits prior to this date.

Service connection is granted for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.,Service connection is denied for ischemic heart disease and prostate cancer based on exposure to tactical herbicide agents. Service connection for a gastric condition is remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, finding that an addendum opinion is needed to address whether his sleep apnea is secondary to his service-connected diabetes and coronary artery disease. The issues of dental treatment are referred to the RO.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for coronary artery disease and prostate cancer, but has remanded them due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's exposure to contaminated groundwater during service.

Service connection for a dental disability for compensation purposes is denied.,A rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected tinnitus is denied.,Restoration of 100 percent rating for coronary artery disease (CAD) effective March 1, 2016, is granted.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and examination due to potential service connection for a heart disorder and a finger disorder secondary to a heart disorder. The Veteran's exposure at Camp Lejeune is not considered presumptive, but it does not preclude direct service connection.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary heart disease (claimed as enlarged heart) has been reopened and granted.,An effective date of April 24, 2010 is assigned for the award of service connection for sleep apnea. The Board found that there was no evidence of chronic respiratory failure with carbon dioxide retention or cor pulmonale; thus, a higher rating cannot be granted.,The Veteran's claims for bilateral knee disorder and right foot disorder are remanded.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disorder (secondary to sleep apnea) is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 were denied due to lack of legal merit, as the medications provided by a private clinic did not constitute VA treatment within the meaning of the statute.

The Veteran's PTSD claim is granted with an effective date of December 11, 1997. The Veteran's CAD rating from April 2014 to the present is granted at a 60 percent level.,Prior to September 25, 2010, the Veteran's CAD was rated at 30 percent and denied for an increased rating. After September 25, 2010, the Veteran's CAD is now rated at 60 percent effective from that date.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and coronary artery disease make him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, warranting a TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for entitlement to a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus.,Service connection for hyperlipidemia was denied as it is not considered a disability for VA compensation purposes.,Service connection for a back disability, hypertension, gout, bilateral foot disabilities, bilateral eye disabilities, heart disabilities, sleep apnea, skin disabilities, and mental health disabilities were all denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for headaches, a heart condition, tinnitus, and sleep apnea. The evidence does not support a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran is granted a rating of 100 percent for coronary artery disease effective June 19, 2012. The claim for an earlier effective date prior to July 16, 2007, and February 8, 2012, are denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's requests for earlier effective dates for service connection of coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus, finding no evidence that he filed a claim before the assigned effective dates.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for CAD prior to November 12, 2015 was denied as the evidence did not show that his condition met the criteria for a 30 percent rating.,An increased rating of 60 percent for CAD from November 12, 2015 was granted based on the evidence showing that his condition met the criteria for this rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for cardiac disability other than hypertensive heart disease/left ventricular hypertrophy, finding that there is no current diagnosis of such a condition.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The Veteran's claim of service connection for coronary artery disease, either as secondary to sleep apnea or directly related to high blood pressure during service, needs more information and a thorough medical evaluation.

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran’s coronary artery disease contributed substantially or materially to his death. The case is being returned for further development and an addendum VA opinion.

The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease has rendered him unable to maintain substantially gainful employment since November 2, 2011.

The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type II, and bilateral peripheral neuropathy are at least as likely as not of such severity as to prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.