Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development and the need for a VA examination. The Veteran's claim for service connection of ischemic heart disease, including as secondary to chemical and/or radiation exposure, is pending.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart disability and colon cancer, to include residuals thereof, have been denied. The Board found no evidence linking the disabilities to his active service.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU prior to May 4, 2015 is denied. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 60 percent for CAD is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence received since the January 2019 SOC, including a VA heart DBQ examination. The claim for an increased rating in excess of 60 percent for coronary artery disease must be reconsidered.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including ischemic heart disease and PTSD, render him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that a Total Disability Rating based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining a substantially gainful occupation during the period of November 15, 2018 to April 9, 2019.

The Veteran's service-connected mixed type psychoneurosis did not cause or contribute to his death, and the cause of death is not related to his military service.

The previously denied claim of service connection for a heart disability is reopened, and the issue is remanded to determine if service connection can be established.

The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease (CAD) and remanded the issues of increased ratings for right shoulder derangement, left knee arthritis, and right knee arthritis. The issue of whether a notice of disagreement to the denial of service connection for hypertension was timely is also being remanded.

The Veteran's service connection claim for coronary artery disease is granted due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during his service in the Republic of Vietnam.

The Veteran's 60 percent disability rating for service-connected coronary artery disease is restored, effective June 1, 2006. The claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability prior to April 23, 2008 is denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding herbicide exposure. The Veteran's hypertension is also being reviewed in light of potential direct service connection.

The Veteran's claim for earlier effective date of August 8, 2002 for the award of service connection for ischemic heart disease associated with herbicide exposure is granted. The Board also remanded the issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability (including PTSD, depression, alcoholism).

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including CAD, ulcerated colitis, bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, CFS, diverticulitis, residuals of TBI, seizures and/or epilepsy, and PTSD are granted. The decision also includes remand items for further review.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for ischemic heart disease and a heart condition, finding that there was no evidence of such conditions during service or related to active duty.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to exposure to environmental toxins, including herbicide agents, at Fort McClellan.

The Board has remanded the cases for further evaluation due to a lack of an opinion on whether any diagnosed conditions are aggravated by service-connected varicose veins.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for coronary artery disease and hypertension, both of which are secondary to his service-connected thyroid condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease was granted with an effective date of June 13, 2016. The Board denied a request for an earlier effective date.

The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for coronary artery disease status-post stent placement was denied. The Board found that the assigned rating of 60% is adequate and did not meet the criteria for extraschedular consideration.