Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the claims for a higher rating for ischemic heart disease and TDIU due to insufficient evidence in the record, including recent VA treatment records and private treatment records from M. Health Partners.

The Veteran's death was caused by acute pulmonary edema due to or as a consequence of cardiac arrhythmia, which is related to hypertensive cardiac vascular disease. The cause of the hypertensive cardiac vascular disease is under review.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, heart disorder, and median nerve neuritis, carpal tunnel syndrome of the right and left wrist are remanded due to new evidence received since the last final denial. The Board will determine if there is a causal relationship between these conditions and active service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for ischemic heart disease, type II diabetes mellitus, and acute myeloblastic leukemia are all granted. The claim for service connection for acute myeloblastic leukemia is remanded due to a lack of medical opinion.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone are not of sufficient severity to produce unemployability, and the Board finds that he is unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation by reason of his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding his Vietnam service and Agent Orange exposure. The heart disability claim is recharacterized as atherosclerotic heart disease, and the AOJ must verify his Vietnam service. A VA examination is needed to determine if the occluded carotid artery and atherosclerotic heart disease are related to Agent Orange exposure.

The Veteran's heart disorder and diabetes were not shown in service or for many years thereafter, and are not otherwise related to active duty service. The Board denied service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's tinnitus is denied as there is no probative nexus linking his current complaints to military noise exposure.,Service connection for a bladder disability due to Agent Orange exposure is not granted as there is no evidence of such disability during service or within one year after separation.,Sleep apnea, claimed as secondary to service-connected lung cancer, is remanded for further evaluation and opinion regarding its etiology.,Heart disease (hypertension) is remanded for further evaluation and opinion regarding its etiology with respect to the Veteran's service-connected lung cancer.,Service connection for hypertension is remanded for further evaluation and opinion regarding its etiology with respect to Agent Orange exposure.,Diverticulitis, gallbladder calculus, kidney calculus, and skin disability are remanded for further evaluation and opinion regarding their etiology with respect to Agent Orange exposure.,Gallbladder calculus is remanded for further evaluation and opinion regarding its etiology with respect to Agent Orange exposure.,Kidney calculus is remanded for further evaluation and opinion regarding its etiology with respect to Agent Orange exposure.,Skin disability is remanded for further evaluation and opinion regarding its etiology with respect to Agent Orange exposure.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to the need for a VA examination and opinion addressing the collective impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including a back condition, bilateral leg condition, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, depression, and heart condition. The Board found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to service or within one year of discharge.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent disabling. The Board denied a higher rating for PTSD and granted TDIU benefits based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities precluding him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the cases due to ongoing development needed for the issue of an evaluation in excess of 30 percent for arteriosclerotic heart disease. The effective date issues are also being remanded.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for hepatitis C and heart disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.

The Board has withdrawn the Veteran's appeals for right ankle disorder, heart disorder, IBS, and circumcision. The claim of service connection for a lumbar spine disorder is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of coronary artery disease, prostate cancer, diabetes mellitus, type II, and cataracts are granted. The claim for service connection of renal insufficiency is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for further development and clarification of his exposure history, as well as additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of his claimed conditions.

The petition to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for a heart disorder is allowed. The appeal is granted to that extent only, and the case is remanded due to the need for further medical examination.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development and evaluation of his service-connected right hand disability, as well as additional claims related to migraine headaches, eye disorder, cervical spine disorder, left upper extremity disorder, jaw pain/facial spasms, skin disorder, and heart disorder.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease has been rated at 30 percent since August 2010, and this rating is granted for the entire period on appeal.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease is granted service connection due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents. However, the aortic valve replacement and atrial fibrillation are not related to his active duty service.