Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2019

The Veteran's initial rating for PTSD prior to December 2, 2014 was denied. The Veteran's PTSD on and after December 2, 2014 is rated at 50 percent. Service connection for CAD and TDIU are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss is denied, and the heart condition issue is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to July 24, 2012 for the grant of service connection for coronary artery disease is denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not file a claim for ischemic heart disease (a covered herbicide disease) before May 3, 1989 or between May 3, 1989 and August 31, 2010.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's service connection claim for ischemic heart disease, to include coronary artery disease, is remanded due to insufficient evidence. The case will be reviewed again with a focus on whether the condition was incurred or aggravated during active duty or reserve service.

The Veteran's claim for a disability rating of 50 percent or higher for PTSD has been granted, effective from the date of this decision. The Veteran is currently rated at 30 percent for his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for eligibility for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant, as he does not have permanent and total disability due to anatomical loss of use of both hands, burn injuries, blindness in both eyes with limited visual acuity, or inhalational injury.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for heart disease, including residuals of a coronary artery bypass graft, finding that there was no direct evidence linking the condition to his military service and concluding that the preponderance of the evidence did not support the claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and secondary service connection for a heart condition as related to sleep apnea. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to service.

Service connection is granted for ischemic heart disease and prostate cancer due to herbicide exposure. The Veteran's voiding dysfunction, urinary frequency, and erectile dysfunction are remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension was denied in September 1986 due to lack of evidence linking the condition to his military service. The claim has been reopened with new and material evidence.,Service connection for coronary artery disease is granted based on exposure to herbicidal agents during service in Thailand, which is presumed for veterans who served in Vietnam-era areas or those exposed to herbicides like Agent Orange.,The Veteran's claim for diabetes mellitus, type II was also reopened with new and material evidence. Service connection is granted due to his military service in Thailand where he was exposed to herbicide agents.,Service connection for bladder cancer is denied as there is no evidence linking the condition to exposure to herbicidal agents during service.,The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss remains denied. The most recent audiometric results do not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease was denied as the evidence did not conclusively establish the presence of IHD at the time of his March 1991 application. The Board found that the appellant is not entitled to retroactive benefits for a grant of service connection for IHD under Nehmer.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease was granted. The Board also remanded the issues of entitlement to an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and entitlement to a higher initial rating for bilateral hearing loss, as well as the issue of entitlement to service connection for tinnitus.

The Veteran's service connection claim for coronary artery disease (CAD) is granted. Claims for erectile dysfunction, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and ischemic heart disease, both presumed to be related to herbicide agent exposure during the Veteran's service in Thailand.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding MET diagnostic testing for CAD. The Veteran's claim will be reviewed with a new VA examination.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, but the Board denied a higher rating. The Veteran was granted TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's appeals for compensation benefits and an increased disability rating have been dismissed due to their death.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on housebound status from October 1, 2014 is granted. The decision is based on the Veteran having a single service-connected disability rated as 100 percent disabling and additional disabilities independently ratable at 60 percent or more.

The Veteran's prostate cancer and ischemic heart disease (coronary artery disease) are granted service connection due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents in Thailand.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence submitted by the appellant, and a supplemental statement of the case is needed.