Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2019

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there was no evidence linking any service-connected condition to his death or that asbestos exposure caused his fatal heart disease.

The Veteran's service-connected heart condition, knee condition, and PTSD prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and work experience.

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to incomplete records and non-compliance with prior Board remand directives. The appellant is seeking service connection for her husband’s death, which was caused by his coronary artery disease.

The Veteran's cause of death was not related to service or a service-connected disability, and the appellant is not entitled to DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318.

The Veteran's PTSD with sleep disorder is granted a disability rating of 70 percent, and he is granted TDIU. The appeal for service connection for diabetes mellitus was dismissed due to withdrawal by the Veteran. The appeals for service connection for arteriosclerotic heart disease (coronary artery disease) and hypertension are remanded.

The Veteran's surviving spouse is seeking retroactive benefits for ischemic heart disease associated with herbicide exposure. The Board has determined that a remand is required to obtain a medical opinion regarding the presence of IHD prior to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for PTSD, diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism (claimed as thyroid problems), ischemic heart disease and hypertension.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for heart disease and diabetes, as well as peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, are granted. The claim for an increased rating for residuals of dislocation of the fourth carpal-metacarpal bone with right wrist and forearm involvement is dismissed. The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD are remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type 2, prostate cancer residuals, hypertension, tinnitus, erectile dysfunction, and bilateral hearing loss, rendered him unable to obtain or maintain gainful employment. His TDIU claim was granted effective from February 1, 2015.

The Veteran's lumbar spine disorder is currently rated at 10 percent based on limitation of motion, and the Board finds this rating to be appropriate given his range of motion findings.,The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied as he did not meet the schedular criteria for a total disability evaluation due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart disorder and an acquired psychiatric disorder, but these claims are being remanded due to additional development needs.,For the heart disorder claim, the Board is seeking clarification on whether it clearly and unmistakably preexisted service. For the psychiatric disorder claim, VA will attempt to obtain missing records from Dr. J., and schedule a VA examination.

The Veteran's death was attributed to ischemic heart disease, which is presumed due to his service-connected PTSD. The appeal for a back disability, an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD, and TDIU remains pending.

The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease has been rated at 30 percent since August 19, 2014. The Board found that the disability picture most nearly approximated the criteria for a 30 percent rating.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, COPD, CAD, and hypertension due to outstanding medical records not being obtained.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to insufficient information on the current level of disability caused by his service-connected conditions. He needs updated VA examinations for his heart, diabetes, and peripheral neuropathy.

The Board has determined that the March 2017 decision denying service connection for a heart disorder, a compensable rating for hemorrhoids, and determining there was no CUE in a May 1993 rating decision is vacated due to procedural errors. The appeal of whether CUE occurred in the May 1993 rating decision is deemed abandoned by the Court. The March 2017 Board decision is hereby vacated as to the CUE issue due to the due process violation. The claims for service connection for a heart disorder, an initial compensable rating for cervical spine disability prior to September 6, 2006, and a compensable rating for hemorrhoids are remanded.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his satisfaction with the current 100% disability rating for hypertensive heart disease.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The appeal for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for CAD is dismissed. The issues on appeal are remanded for a determination regarding the appropriate ratings for CAD.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to conflicting medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's diagnosed heart conditions, including coronary artery disease and atrial fibrillation, fall within the definition of ischemic heart disease. The Veteran is requested to be examined by a VA examiner to determine if his heart disorders are related to service, particularly given his exposure to herbicide agents.