Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2019

The Board denied service connection for right foot bunion, sleep apnea, hypertension, heart condition, and depression/anxiety.,It was determined that the Veteran's current conditions do not meet the criteria for service connection as they did not begin during active service or are otherwise related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.

The Board has denied the reopening of claims for service connection for HTN, prostate disorder, and cardiac disorder due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient information regarding the Veteran's herbicide agent exposure during service in Korea, including along the DMZ. The cases will be returned for further action.

The Veteran's claims for heart disability, urinary condition, and dizziness (upper extremity peripheral neuropathy) have been denied. The claim for dizziness (lower extremity peripheral neuropathy) is being remanded.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including for low back disability, left leg disability, heart disorder, right finger disability, big toe disability, GSW residuals, left thumb disability, and nose disability. The remand also includes requests for additional VA treatment records, Workers' Compensation records, and updated employment information.

The Veteran's widow filed for DIC benefits on April 25, 1997. The Board denied the request for an earlier effective date as there was no prior claim or communication showing intent to file a DIC application before that date.

The Veteran's appeals for higher ratings and effective dates on several service-connected conditions have been withdrawn. The Board has dismissed the appeal.

The petition to reopen the claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction is granted. The case is remanded for further development regarding the cause and aggravation of the Veteran's erectile dysfunction by his service-connected diabetes mellitus type II and coronary artery disease.

The Veteran's heart disability was granted a 100% rating from January 28, 2016 to August 13, 2018.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD has been reopened due to the submission of new evidence. The effective date remains pending as it is remanded.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for CAD is denied as there is no legal authority to assign such a date, and CUE has not been raised.,The Veteran's claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for angioedema due to allergic reaction to medication remains remanded.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for hearing loss was denied because he failed to appear for a scheduled VA examination. The TDIU claim was also denied as the evidence did not show that his service-connected disabilities prevented him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a heart disability, sleep apnea, and psychiatric disability due to lack of compliance with previous instructions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for higher levels of special monthly compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(o) and 38 C.F.R. § 3.350(f)(3), finding that he did not meet the criteria for these rates based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has dismissed the appeal of the issue of service connection for kidney cancer. The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted from October 20, 2014. The issues of service connection for bladder cancer, hand tremors, lumbar spine disability, coronary artery disease, and left ear hearing loss are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for coronary artery disease and TDIU are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and treatment records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus Type II, finding that an inadequate VA examination was used to deny these claims. The Veteran is to be provided with a new VA examination to determine if his conditions are related to his military service, specifically exposure to chemical agents.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for ischemic heart disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus type II, and left lower extremity neuropathy as there was no evidence of in-service injury or disease, including exposure to herbicide agents. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet his burden to establish a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for ischemic heart disease and the cause of death due to a lack of VA treatment records from November 2006 to December 2009. A new medical opinion is needed regarding whether service-connected diabetes mellitus substantially or materially contributed to the Veteran's cause of death, if chronic atrial fibrillation was caused by service (including exposure to herbicide agents), and if hypertension was caused by service (including exposure to herbicide agents).

The Board has granted service connection for a pulmonary disability, but dismissed the issue of service connection for a heart disability due to lack of timely appeal.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes, heart disability, skin disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are remanded due to the need for further development regarding exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam.