Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2018

The Veteran's cause of death, which was due to coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus, is granted as these conditions are presumed to be related to herbicide exposure during his service on the U.S.S. Tripoli in July 1967.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease is presumed to be due to exposure to Agent Orange during service in Vietnam.

The Veteran's prostate cancer and ischemic heart disease are presumed to have been incurred in service due to herbicide exposure. The claims for these conditions are granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for elevated cholesterol levels and a heart disorder was denied. The Board found that further development is needed to address the heart disorder, including obtaining SPRs and verifying exposure to herbicides in Thailand.

The Veteran's death was due to ischemic heart disease, which is a covered herbicide disease. The Appellant filed for DIC benefits on October 27, 2003, more than one year after the Veteran's death. Therefore, the effective date of the DIC award cannot be earlier than October 27, 2003.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The Board cannot adjudicate the merits of this appeal as he is no longer alive.

The Veteran's initial claim for service connection for CAD was granted as a presumptive condition related to herbicide exposure. The current rating of 60% is granted from April 2, 2002.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease is being remanded for a new VA examination to assess the current extent and severity of his condition, as well as its impact on his overall health.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating of her PTSD with depression due to a lack of VA medical opinions addressing the etiology of her claimed conditions, including sleep apnea, coronary artery disease, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus. The Veteran also had service in Southwest Asia.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding his heart disability and current cardiovascular conditions, including whether they are related to service or any exposure. The Board requests updated VA treatment records, a private cardiologist's records, and an examination to determine the etiology of his heart condition.

The Board denied service connection for lung cancer, hypertension, DM, and heart disorder all related to exposure at Camp Lejeune. The VA examiners concluded that these conditions are more likely due to the Veteran's long history of smoking rather than exposure to contaminated water.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease is related to his active duty, and service connection for this condition as due to exposure to herbicides/Agent Orange is granted. The claim for ventricular tachycardia and atrial fibrillation remains pending.

The Board denied service connection for all claimed conditions, including diabetes mellitus and its secondary effects on other disabilities. The Veteran's claims were based on presumed exposure to herbicides during active duty service in Vietnam or Okinawa, Japan. However, the evidence did not support his claim of combat service in Vietnam, nor did it confirm his exposure to herbicides.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional development of the record, including obtaining private treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD is granted, as the evidence shows a diagnosis of PTSD related to military service.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD (diagnosed as unspecified depressive disorder) is also granted, with the opinion that it is caused by PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss has been denied.,The Veteran’s claims for service connection for a back disability, heart disability, high blood pressure, gastrointestinal disability (claimed as diarrhea), acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as anxiety, depression, and PTSD), respiratory disability (claimed as breathing problems) to include COPD, left upper quadrant curvilinear calcification (claimed as aortic aneurysm), and enlarged prostate have been remanded for further development.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease warrants a 100 percent rating for the period from September 9, 1996 to September 8, 1997. For the remaining periods, his disability does not warrant an initial rating in excess of 30 percent.

The Veteran's immediate cause of death was hypertensive and atherosclerotic heart disease. The Board found that the service-connected conditions did not contribute to his death, and there were no pending claims for accrued benefits at the time of his death.

The claim is granted as new and material evidence has been received, reopening the previously denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death. The cause of death was determined to be Idiopathic Ischemic Heart Disease.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection of heart disability, left wrist disability, mononucleosis, and sleep apnea. The claim for PTSD was granted with new and material evidence but not reopened as it is considered a direct service connection case. Service connection for diabetes mellitus II was denied due to lack of exposure to herbicide agents.