Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2019

The Veteran's service connection claim for coronary artery disease is remanded due to uncertainty about his exposure within the 12 nautical mile territorial sea of Vietnam. The AOJ needs to verify if the U.S.S. Brister was in these waters and should attempt to obtain relevant deck logs or other military records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including cerebrovascular accident, left hip condition, right hip condition, lumbosacral spine condition, left ankle condition, right ankle condition, coronary artery disease (CAD), and hypertension. The decision also remanded several issues related to knee conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including verification of his reported stressor and a VA examination to assess the validity of his PTSD claim.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for increased ratings and entitlement to Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) before the Board could make a decision.

The Board has determined that more development is needed to determine if the Veteran was exposed to herbicides while on the U.S.S. Diamond Head, and whether an Agent Orange spill occurred onboard. The claims for service connection are being remanded.

The Board granted service connection for low back strain with degenerative disc disease of the thoracic spine and denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, mesothelioma, an abnormal heart disorder, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), sleep apnea, hypertension, metabolic syndrome to include insulin resistant disorder and/or diabetes mellitus, migraine headaches, peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, and depression secondary to medical condition.

The Veteran's death was caused by ischemic heart disease, which is presumed to be associated with Agent Orange exposure during service. The Board granted service connection for the cause of death.

The Veteran's PTSD has been granted a 50% rating effective October 1, 2009. The effective date for convalescence extension was extended to September 30, 2009.,A temporary total disability rating for PTSD is granted from June 29, 2009, to September 29, 2009.

The Veteran's initial claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied, and the appeal is remanded.,The Veteran's claim of entitlement to compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for heart damage was granted.

The Board has granted service connection for ischemic heart disease (CAD) and diabetes mellitus, type II, based on presumed exposure to herbicide agents during the Veteran's service in the Republic of Vietnam.

Service connection for coronary artery disease (CAD) is granted. The issues of service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy are remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease, essential hypertension with ocular changes, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, and erectile dysfunction, did not render him totally unemployable prior to May 30, 2014.

The Board has remanded several issues including service connection for hypertension, prostate cancer residuals, and TDIU due to cardiovascular disease and prostate cancer. The Veteran's claims are being reviewed again as new medical opinions are needed.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for coronary artery disease was denied as his disability did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for coronary artery disease and bilateral hearing loss due to inadequate medical opinions regarding service connection. The VA will seek additional exposure information, obtain private treatment records, and schedule appropriate examinations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for gout, heart condition, sickle cell trait, and Guillain-Barre Syndrome have all been denied due to lack of evidence showing in-service incurrence or aggravation.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for DJD of the lumbar spine, bilateral ankles, bilateral feet, COPD, a cardiovascular disorder, and PTSD due to incomplete records from Social Security Administration (SSA).

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's service in Vietnam, which could affect his claim for service connection for the cause of his death.

The Board has granted service connection for ischemic heart disease and prostate cancer, both presumed to be due to herbicide exposure during service.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than January 16, 2015 for coronary artery disease was denied. The appeal is remanded for further development regarding the claims for hemorrhoids and lumbar strain.,Initial ratings for coronary artery disease, hemorrhoids, and lumbar strain are also remanded due to incomplete records.