Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to his failure to report for VA examinations. The claims will be remanded to schedule new examinations.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease, to include as secondary to hypertension and/or high cholesterol, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to his in-service symptoms of high cholesterol and chest pains.

The Board dismissed the appeals for increased ratings of post-traumatic stress disorder and ischemic heart disease (coronary artery disease) as the Veteran withdrew his appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Veteran's increased disability rating for coronary artery disease is being remanded due to a lack of recent VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease, status post bypass graft and infarction is reopened. The case is remanded to obtain additional medical records and provide the Veteran with a VA examination.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart condition due to new and material evidence. However, the case is remanded as additional development is needed to determine if his current heart conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to July 5, 2018. The Board granted TDIU based on the combined disability rating of his service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to insufficient rationale in previous VA examination reports and failure to obtain relevant medical records. The Veteran is required to undergo new examinations for his hearing loss, chest pain, hypertension, and jungle rot.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including bilateral plantar fascitis, a hairline foot fracture, coronary artery disease, hypertension, and carpal tunnel syndrome. The RO is instructed to obtain all outstanding treatment records and schedule the Veteran for VA examinations to determine the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and ischemic heart disease, as the character of your discharge from August 8, 1969 to February 13, 1976 was upgraded to General Under Honorable Conditions by the Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR).

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death prior to a final decision. The claims are now moot.

The Board denied service connection for coronary artery disease and prostate cancer as there was no evidence of herbicide exposure in the Veteran's service records, and the diseases were not shown to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral eye condition is denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disability is denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disability as secondary to a service-connected disability (COPD) is denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The Veteran's service connection claims for coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus type II due to herbicide exposure are granted.

The Board has decided to remand several claims due to the submission of new evidence by the appellant in April 2018. The claims include service connection for heart disease and stroke residuals, special monthly compensation based on need for aid and attendance or housebound status, total disability rating based on individual unemployability, entitlement to cause of death benefits, DIC under 38 U.S.C. § 1318, and spousal SMC.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for heart disability, including sick sinus syndrome, atrial fibrillation and flutter, pacemaker insertion, diastolic heart failure, and pericarditis. The evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether these conditions are related to service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection due to lack of new and material evidence, and requests for additional records from SSA and VA.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for hypertension has been dismissed.,The Veteran's claim for an increased disability evaluation in excess of 70 percent for PTSD is denied.,Service connection for ischemic heart disease and a respiratory disorder are both denied.,The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the issue of service connection for hypertension.

The claims for service connection have been reopened, and the Veteran's tinnitus has been granted. The remaining issues of service connection are remanded due to lack of a VA examination.

The Veteran's hypertension, CAD, and CABG residual surgical scars are not entitled to an effective date earlier than the dates assigned.,An initial rating in excess of 10 percent for hypertension is denied.,An initial rating in excess of 10 percent prior to April 29, 2010, and a rating in excess of 10 percent from August 1, 2010, for CAD is denied.,An initial compensable rating for CABG residual surgical scars is denied.