Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran's ischemic heart disease is rated at 30% and his left lower extremity scar associated with ischemic heart disease does not meet criteria for a compensable rating.

The Board granted a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) with an effective date of March 1, 2017. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from obtaining and retaining substantially gainful employment since that date.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's heart conditions are related to his service, particularly his in-service exposure to Agent Orange. The examiner is asked to provide an opinion on this issue.

The Veteran's hyperlipidemia, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and acquired psychiatric disorder (depression and anxiety) are not service-connected.,Diabetes mellitus is remanded for further review due to herbicide agent exposure.,Right lower extremity neuropathy, left lower extremity neuropathy, right upper extremity neuropathy, and left upper extremity neuropathy are secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II and require further review.,Hypertension is remanded as it may be related to herbicide agent exposure or a heart disability.

The Board denied service connection for benign prostatic hypertrophy and heart disorder, finding insufficient evidence to link these conditions to the Veteran's military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome and heart disability, finding that there was no current diagnosis of these conditions and attributing them to known clinical diagnoses rather than undiagnosed illnesses.

The Board has remanded the cases due to failure to comply with prior remand directives, specifically requesting that the Under Secretary for Benefits consider the appellant's claims of entitlement to service connection for lung, heart, and prostate disorders, to include as due to in-service exposure to ionizing radiation.

The Board has denied service connection for coronary artery disease, erectile dysfunction, and hypertension. The claims for these conditions are being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the cases due to errors in obtaining missing records and providing a medical opinion regarding the Veteran's hypertension.

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for hypertension (HTN) due to conflicting medical opinions and need for further examination.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of ischemic heart disease is denied as there was no prior claim filed before May 12, 2003.

The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death due to ischemic heart disease, which is presumed to have been incurred in service based on exposure to herbicide agents. The claim for burial benefits is also granted as a matter of law.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for heart condition is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and medical opinion regarding the etiology of his current heart conditions, specifically related to rapid heart rate and diagnosis of atrial fibrillation in service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims, including obtaining updated private treatment records and VA examination reports. The issues of increased ratings for cervical spondylosis, myoclonic jerking of the lower extremities, and service connection for a heart disability are all remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus or coronary artery disease.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for various disorders have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the claims. The remaining issues are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and examination, including a VA examination to determine if hypertension is related to service or herbicide exposure, and whether it was aggravated by coronary artery disease. The TDIU claim is also inextricably intertwined with the other issues.

The Veteran's initial rating for ischemic heart disease was denied as his condition did not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation based on METs, cardiac hypertrophy or dilatation, or congestive heart failure.

The Board found that the Veteran's daughter’s Social Security income was not reasonably available to or for his use, and thus should be excluded from the calculation of his own countable income. As a result, the November 2010 reduction in nonservice-connected pension benefits was not proper.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher initial rating for his coronary artery disease is being remanded due to the need for additional VA treatment records from West Chester Cardiology.