Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2018

The Veteran's Crohn’s Disease, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities are not service-connected.,Service connection for a heart disorder is also denied.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for additional development due to outstanding private and VA treatment records, which may provide information on when ischemic heart disease was first shown in the Veteran.

The Veteran's PTSD and CAD claims are being remanded for further evaluation. The TDIU claim is also remanded due to the need for employment information.

The Board denied a higher rating for the Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease and denied an earlier effective date.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete service treatment records and the need for a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for heart disease and back disability have been denied. The Board found no evidence linking the current conditions to active service.

The Board has granted service connection for ischemic heart disease and diabetes mellitus, both presumed to be related to herbicide exposure during the Veteran's service in Thailand.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for his service-connected coronary artery disease was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support an increased rating prior to June 13, 2016, but indicated that further development is needed due to the worsening of symptoms after this date.

The Board has identified multiple issues for remand due to the addition of new VA medical records not previously considered in the decision.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease and knee conditions, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether he can do so.

The Board denied service connection for ischemic heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, finding no current evidence of these conditions. The COPD claim is remanded for further examination.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to discrepancies in the appellant's personnel records and the need for additional medical evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for coronary artery disease as it may be related to exposure to herbicide agents or PTSD. The VA needs to verify if the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents in Korea and this information should be provided by the Joint Services Records Research Center (JSRRC).

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for coronary artery disease was denied because it was filed more than one year after the effective date of a law that added CAD as a presumptively service-connected condition due to in-service exposure to herbicides.

The Veteran's claim for reopening of service connection for hemoccult positive stools has been granted. The claims for service connection for a sinus disorder, ischemic heart disease, hypertension, insomnia, and psychiatric disorder (including posttraumatic stress disorder) are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to lack of current diagnoses and insufficient evidence. The Veteran is presumed exposed to herbicide agents in Vietnam, but no presumptive service connection can be granted for hypertension or PTSD.

The Board found new and material evidence to reopen the claim for service connection for cause of death, but denied the claim as the Veteran's causes of death are not related to his in-service radiation exposure.

The Veteran's tinnitus is currently rated at 10 percent and no higher, as it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,Service connection has been granted for major depressive disorder secondary to service-connected PTSD.,Joint pain (bilateral knee osteoarthritis), neck disorder (cervical spine arthritis), and back disorder (lumbar spine arthritis) have not met the criteria for service connection as they are not shown to be related to service or within one year of separation from service.,Left ankle disorder, vision disorder (refractive error of the eye), bilateral hearing loss, shortness of breath, and sleep disorder have not been established as service-connected due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.,Heart disorder has not met the criteria for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to a lack of VA treatment records and missing evidence regarding herbicide exposure. The case will be reviewed again after obtaining these records and verifying the Veteran's allegations.