Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2018

The Board denied service connection for ischemic heart disease, finding that the Veteran did not have a current disability and there was no link between his in-service exposure to Otto Fuel II and his condition. The Board also found that arteriosclerosis, which caused the ischemic heart disease, had not been present within one year of the Veteran's discharge from service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied, and the RO increased his rating for lumbosacral strain to 40 percent effective March 26, 2012. The Veteran was also granted separate ratings for bladder dysfunction, bowel dysfunction, radiculopathy of both lower extremities, and vertigo. His claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder is remanded, and his TDIU claim is denied.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions have been reopened, but the evidence does not support a grant of service connection in any of these cases.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disability and diabetes are presumed service-connected due to herbicide exposure during his military service.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's heart condition, including coronary artery disease (CAD), is related to his service and should be granted service connection. However, due to insufficient medical evidence, a VA examination is needed to determine the nature of the relationship between the Veteran's current heart condition and his in-service chest pains.

Service connection for PTSD is granted due to current diagnosis and credible supporting evidence of in-service stressors.,Service connection for IHD - Coronary Artery Disease and prostate cancer is denied as there was no exposure to herbicide agents during service.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU prior to September 5, 2013 is being remanded due to the need for further development and referral to the Director of Compensation Services.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, prostate cancer, and heart disability due to exposure to herbicide agents as the Veteran did not serve in a unit stationed at the DMZ or otherwise demonstrate actual exposure to an herbicide agent during active service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding the claims for service connection for a breathing disorder, heart disorder, and sleep disorder.

The Veteran's initial rating for his ischemic heart disease is being remanded due to the need for a current examination as the previous one from 2012 may not reflect the current severity of his condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for heart disease, including ischemic heart disease, as there was no medical evidence linking an in-service exposure to herbicide agents or any other incident with a current diagnosis of heart disease. The Veteran's condition did not manifest within one year of separation from service and is not considered a form of ischemic heart disease.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of the Veteran's coronary artery disease and TDIU due to the need for additional medical examinations and records.

Service connection for depressive disorder is granted. Service connection for scleroderma is denied.,Entitlement to service connection for CAD and systemic lupus erythematosus as due to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina is remanded.

The Board has remanded several claims, including those related to the Veteran's eye condition, hearing loss, tinnitus, blood in lungs and mouth (secondary to hypertension), heart condition, hypertension, nervous condition, and back disability. The appeals are being remanded due to incomplete records and inadequate opinions.

The Veteran's claim for a heart disability was denied because he does not have a current heart disability that can be service connected.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for acute myeloid leukemia and ischemic heart disease due to potential new evidence, as well as a determination of whether ischemic heart disease contributed substantially or materially to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities meet the percentage requirements for a TDIU, and his combined evaluation is at least as likely as not that he is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to these conditions.

Service connection for a left leg disability is granted. Service connection for a right hip disability, to include as secondary to service-connected low back disability, and tinnitus (to include as secondary to service-connected coronary artery disease or hypertension) are remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for DM II was withdrawn by the Veteran during his April 2018 hearing. The heart disability claim is denied as there is no evidence of more than one episode of acute congestive heart failure, workload greater than three METs but not greater than five METs resulting in dyspnea, fatigue, angina, dizziness, or syncope; or LVEF of 30 to 50 percent.,The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy claims are remanded as there is insufficient evidence regarding the current severity and etiology of his bilateral upper and lower extremity conditions. The PTSD claim is also remanded due to the Veteran's recent complaints of worsening symptoms.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date because it was final, and he could not file a freestanding earlier-effective-date claim to overcome this decision.