Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2019

The Veteran's service connection for ischemic heart disease is granted due to exposure to herbicide agents during his active military service in Thailand.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of various disabilities, including right arm, left arm, right leg, and left leg disabilities, as well as a heart disability and respiratory disability (secondary to service-connected conditions), have been denied. The Board found no evidence of current diagnoses or in-service incurrence/aggravation of these conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claims for ischemic heart disease and prostate cancer were denied as there was no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides or other conditions that would support a grant of service connection.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development regarding the Veteran's claims of service connection for ischemic heart disease, diabetes, and prostate cancer due to potential exposure to Agent Orange during his time in Thailand.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating and an earlier effective date for his service-connected coronary artery disease are being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran's failure to attend a VA examination for his heart disability, and requests another opportunity for an examination.

The Veteran's hypertension and heart disorder are remanded for further examination to determine if they are related to his service, including presumed exposure to Agent Orange.

The Board denied service connection for a heart disability, concluding that the Veteran did not have a current heart disability related to his military service and could not establish exposure to herbicide agents in Thailand. The claim was therefore denied as there was no direct evidence of a link between service and the condition.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his withdrawal of the issues of bilateral hearing loss and an increased evaluation in excess of 10 percent for hypertension.,Service connection for a left ventricular hypertrophy is granted, subject to further review.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for sleep apnea, testicular cancer, heart condition, and GERD due to potential service connection issues. The claims are being reviewed again as there is insufficient medical evidence or opinions regarding whether these conditions were caused by or incurred during military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for heart disorder, sarcoidosis, lumbar spine disorder, and bilateral hearing loss due to potential exposure to Agent Orange during service. The claims are being reviewed again as part of this process.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for coronary artery disease (CAD) with infarction and bypass was denied. The earliest known formal or informal claim for benefits related to the Veteran’s heart condition was on April 26, 1993.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted for some conditions, but denied for others. The appeal is granted to the extent of reopening and granting of service connection for cervical spine disability and bilateral lower extremity disabilities. Service connection was denied for Parkinson’s disease, left shoulder, right shoulder, left knee, heart disability, constipation, GERD, neurogenic bladder, TIAs, left face drop (facial palsy), vocal cord dysfunction, left upper extremity atrophy, right upper extremity atrophy, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy. Service connection was not granted for sleep disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for heart disease, hypertension, stroke, and mutating growth disorder due to herbicide exposure. The AOJ is instructed to obtain any relevant private treatment records and verify the Veteran’s in-service exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board denied service connection for coronary artery disease/ischemic heart disease and diabetes mellitus type 2, including as due to herbicide exposure, finding that the Veteran did not have evidence of herbicide exposure during his service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder and heart disease, to include coronary artery disease and congestive heart failure is remanded due to the need for further examination.

The Veteran's current benign prostate hypertrophy, hypertension, and other conditions are not service-connected as they did not have their onset in active military service or for many years thereafter, nor is it shown to be related to such service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart disability and diabetes mellitus type II, including as secondary to hepatitis C. The claims are being returned for further development.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the Veteran's death, and no decision on service connection for ischemic heart disease and lymphatic system disabilities can be made at this time.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for rheumatic fever and heart disease, finding that there was no clear and unmistakable evidence of aggravation during service and that the disability did not manifest in service or within one year of separation. The Board also found that the Veteran's heart disease is not related to his service-connected rheumatic fever.