Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2018

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for the cause of death due to Agent Orange exposure. However, a new medical opinion is needed to address whether the heart disorder and bacterial endocarditis are related to service or herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD prior to March 17, 2014 and over 70 percent thereafter is denied. The claims for service connection for ischemic heart disease due to herbicide exposure and hypertension are also denied.

The Veteran's claims for hearing loss, tinnitus, and heart disabilities have been dismissed due to their death.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection and evaluation of his heart condition, bilateral knee condition, low back condition, right rotator cuff tear with repair and scars, and generalized anxiety disorder with memory loss due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Board has remanded the claims for hypertension, coronary artery disease (CAD), and a bilateral foot condition due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their onset or relationship to service.

The Veteran's cause of death was due to intracerebral hemorrhage, thrombocytopenia, and coronary artery disease. The Board found no service connection for these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and ischemic heart disease, both presumed to be due to herbicide exposure. The Veteran's ship was attacked in April 1972 but did not dock at Da Nang Harbor as he claimed.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date and a higher initial rating for his service-connected coronary artery disease. The effective date remains August 25, 2010, as the claim was received within one year of separation from service. The Veteran is currently rated at 30% for CAD.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to properly evaluate the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU, including updated VA examinations and Social Security Administration (SSA) records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for TDIU as his service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him incapable of sustaining substantially gainful employment, at least for the period from August 24, 2008, to July 15, 2016.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not support a finding of service connection for his claimed cardiovascular disorder, skin disorder, or erectile dysfunction.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for multiple joint arthritis, a low back disorder, and bilateral upper and lower extremity neurological disorder due to potential issues with the current evidence of record.

The claim to reopen the service connection for the cause of death is granted, and the case is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings of service-connected disabilities and the determination of whether SMC is warranted are being remanded due to the need for new VA examinations. The referred claims include PTSD, diabetes, retinopathy, peripheral neuropathy, and heart disability.

This decision denies increased ratings for left and right carpal tunnel syndromes. The appeal for service connection of a heart disability is dismissed. Appeals for service connection of right ankle, sinus, and gastrointestinal disorders are remanded.,The effective dates for TDIU and DEA are also remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to uncertainty about whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities contributed to his death. A medical opinion is needed to determine if these conditions caused or contributed to his cause of death.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for obstructive airway disease and coronary artery disease are being remanded due to the addition of new VA treatment records, including an EKG report from February 2017. The Veteran is also required to undergo VA examinations to assess the current severity of his disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's heart disease may be related to service-connected PTSD with alcohol use disorder, but a VA examination is needed to make this determination.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the listed conditions prior to a decision being made.