Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claims for service connection for Ischemic Heart Disease, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, and Type II Diabetes Mellitus have been granted. The claim for service connection for COPD is remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for coronary artery disease and scar due to coronary artery bypass, as there are incomplete examinations that need to be conducted.

The Veteran's death was not due to willful misconduct, but he did not meet the criteria for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 as his service-connected disabilities were not rated at 100% disabling for a period of 10 or more years prior to his death and he was not in receipt of compensation due to one of the reasons listed in 38 C.F.R. § 3.22(b). The cause of death is remanded, as well as the DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 claim.

The Veteran's CAD status post CABG is now rated at 100% effective June 18, 2018. Prior to this date, the condition was rated at 30%. The increase in rating reflects a significant improvement in symptoms.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for coronary artery disease and erectile dysfunction due to insufficient medical opinions addressing whether these conditions are caused or aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected hypertension.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for COPD, coronary artery disease (now claimed as ischemic heart disease), Parkinson’s disease, constipation, difficulty chewing/swallowing, loss of automatic movement, loss of sense of smell, sexual dysfunction, speech impairment, stooped posture, tremors, muscle rigidity, and stiffness of the extremities have been granted. The effective dates for these grants vary based on when the claims were filed or when entitlement arose.

The Board has determined that the VA examination for heart conditions was not adequate and requires an addendum opinion to address whether the Veteran's heart condition is related to his service in Southwest Asia. The case is being remanded for this purpose.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease associated with herbicide exposure was denied because the claim was not filed within one year of his August 20, 2013 informal claim. The effective date is set at March 31, 2014.

The Board denied service connection for a heart disability, finding that the Veteran's current condition was not related to her military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a low back condition, bilateral knee condition, and ischemic heart disease due to outstanding VA medical records and need for additional examinations.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further evaluation due to possible worsening of symptoms.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart disease were denied as there was no evidence of service connection or herbicide exposure.

The Veteran was granted service connection for GERD, DM2, and lumbar spine disorder. The effective date of these grants is not specified in the decision.,Service connection was also granted for heart disorder, lung disorder, cervical spine disorder, left foot disorder, right foot disorder, and sleep disorder.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, ischemic heart disease, and others, are found to be severe enough to prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the claims for ischemic heart disease due to presumed herbicide exposure and TDIU as they have received additional evidence that needs to be reviewed.

The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for coronary artery disease, a higher rating for diabetes mellitus, and service connection for erectile dysfunction were denied. However, the Veteran was granted TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for ischemic heart disease, hypertension, transient cerebral ischemic attack, and a skin disorder due to additional development being required.

The Veteran's initial increased evaluation for coronary artery disease status post CABG prior to July 10, 2012 is denied. From July 10, 2012 to October 31, 2017, the Veteran is granted a 60% evaluation for his service-connected coronary artery disease. The Veteran's increased evaluation in excess of 60% for this condition from November 1, 2017 is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including gout and pseudogout, asthma, sleep apnea, kidney condition, skin cancer, and heart condition, all of which are alleged to be due to exposure to herbicides in service.

The Veteran's service connection claim for diabetes mellitus type II is granted due to presumed exposure to herbicides during service. The appeal is also granted for other conditions, including coccyx disability and peripheral neuropathy secondary to diabetes mellitus.