Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, hypertension, and kidney stones were denied. The claim for initial disability rating for coronary artery disease prior to September 5, 2018 was granted with a staged rating from that date forward.,The Veteran's claims for initial disability ratings in excess of 60 percent for coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus, type II prior to September 5, 2018 were denied. The reduction of the initial disability rating for diabetes mellitus, type II from 20 percent to 10 percent effective September 5, 2018 was upheld.,The Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to May 28, 2014 for service connection for coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus, type II were denied.

The Board denied service connection for ischemic heart disease, but remanded the issues of higher evaluations for PTSD and TDIU prior to November 1, 2002.

The Board denied service connection for heart disease, hemophilia, and PTSD. The claim for erectile dysfunction was granted as secondary to hypertension.,Service connection was not established for the claimed conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for an increased rating for ischemic heart disease and entitlement to total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to a lack of current evidence regarding the severity of his service-connected condition.

The Veteran's appeals for various conditions and service connection claims have been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the case to verify whether the Veteran had exposure to herbicides while stationed at Nakhon Phano, Royal Thai Air Force Base from July 1967 to 1968.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart disability and sleep disorder due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology. The Veteran served in Southwest Asia, which may allow for presumptive service connection under VA regulations.

The Veteran's respiratory cancer, heart condition, and skin cancer were granted service connection based on presumed exposure to herbicides. The heart condition was denied as not related to active service.

The Board has dismissed all appeals as the appellant died during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied, and the appeal to reopen his claims was also denied. The Board found that new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims.

The Board denied service connection for high blood pressure, heart condition, right eye condition, and emphysema (COPD) as the preponderance of evidence did not support a causal relationship to service or any related conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart condition was denied.,The Veteran's PTSD claim resulted in a denial of an initial rating in excess of 50 percent prior to September 24, 2018 and a disability rating in excess of 70 percent thereafter. The TDIU claim was granted.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for heart condition and COPD due to outstanding VA treatment records from before June 1992.

The Veteran seeks an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for coronary artery disease, but the Board finds no evidence of a claim prior to July 1, 2015.,The Veteran's initial rating for coronary artery disease is denied as his disability does not meet the criteria for a higher rating at any point in this appeal.,A VA examination is needed to assess the current severity and manifestations of the post-surgery scar.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's chronic fatigue syndrome and service connection for hypertensive heart disease.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and examination, specifically regarding PTSD. The heart disorder claim is also being remanded as it may be related to the service-connected PTSD.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a heart disorder, hearing loss disability, and TDIU due to service-connected disorders. The AOJ is instructed to obtain additional information from the Veteran, arrange for an examination, and provide an SOC addressing all issues.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for coronary artery disease and TDIU was denied as the evidence did not show that his service-connected conditions rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's initial 30 percent rating for coronary artery disease, status post bypass graft, is being remanded due to additional VA medical records and examination reports received since February 2015.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss disability is not service-connected as it did not manifest within one year of discharge from service and there is no evidence linking the current condition to service.,Service connection for residuals of colon surgery was denied because the disorder first manifested many years after discharge from service, and there is no evidence linking the disorder to service.