Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2019

The Veteran's heart disability is rated at 30 percent from September 1, 2018. The appeal for a higher rating and TDIU remains pending.

The Veteran's initial rating for coronary artery disease is being remanded due to an inadequate examination. A new examination is needed to assess the current severity of his service-connected condition.

The Veteran's appeal for payment or reimbursement of medical expenses incurred during a private chest X-ray on March 10, 2011 is denied because VA did not provide prior authorization under 38 U.S.C. § 1703(a) for the visit.

The Veteran's arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease (heart disability) was not incurred or aggravated during active duty, and its incurrence or aggravation during active duty may not be presumed.,Right lower extremity neuritis and left lower extremity neuritis were not present in service or within one year of service separation, and are not etiologically related to service.

The Board has restored the ratings for coronary artery disease, right lower extremity PVD, and left lower extremity PVD to their previous levels.,The effective dates of these restorations are May 26, 2015, November 1, 2017, respectively.

The Veteran's prostate cancer is granted due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during his service as a security policeman at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan.,His nasopharyngeal cancer and lung cancer are remanded for further examination and opinion regarding their relationship to military service or other conditions. His heart disease is also remanded for an examination to determine its nature and etiology.

The Board has denied service connection for a lymph node condition and remanded the issues of service connection for thrombosis phlebitis, heart condition, and Gulf War exposure. The decision is pending further development.

The Board has remanded the claims for coronary artery disease, psychiatric disability, and TDIU due to issues with evidence and need for further examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety and panic disorders, is granted. The claim for PTSD is denied. Service connection for a heart condition is also denied.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to insufficient opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's death-causing acute myelogenous leukemia and whether his service-connected conditions contributed to his death.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD contributed to his death from lung cancer with significant contribution from coronary artery disease. The Board granted DIC based on this finding.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for ischemic heart disease status post myocardial infarction with angina was denied. The evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under either the current or previous rating schedule.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and granted.,No effective date has been assigned as the earliest communication was on October 28, 2016.

The Veteran's service connection for ischemic heart disease is granted. The claims for hypertension, chronic fatigue syndrome, and erectile dysfunction are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for various conditions, including coronary artery disease, shrapnel injuries, PTSD, and cataracts are being remanded due to the need for additional medical records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, respiratory disability (emphysema), cardiac disability (calcified coronary artery disease), gastrointestinal disability (GERD, achalasia, and esophageal stricture), degenerative disc disease and degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, and radiculopathy of the left lower extremity. The Board also denied a request to revise or reverse an April 1991 rating decision that denied service connection for headaches.

The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease (CAD) with stents is rated at 30 percent from August 31, 2010 to June 9, 2013.

The Board has dismissed the appeals regarding service connection for various disabilities as the Veteran passed away during the appeal process.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, and his diabetes mellitus is rated at 100 percent disabling.

The Veteran's cause of death was not granted an effective date prior to March 28, 2011 due to the one-year statute of limitations for filing a claim after his death.