Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2019

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service connected.,Ischemic heart disease and DM II are not granted as service connected, due to lack of exposure to herbicide agents.

The Veteran's appeal of the claim for service connection for a heart murmur is dismissed as moot due to the grant in December 2013. The claims for increased disability evaluations for sinusitis, hemorrhoids, and tinea pedis are remanded.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and a heart disorder, as claimed as ischemic heart disease. The reasons include incomplete or unavailable service treatment records, and the need for additional medical opinions to address the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for chronic ischemic heart disease was denied, and his claim for TDIU was also denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a schedular or extra-schedular TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities alone.

The Veteran's service connection claim for coronary artery disease (CAD) is remanded due to uncertainty regarding his exposure to herbicide agents during his time in Korea. The Board requests additional verification of the Veteran’s alleged exposure at Camp Alamo from December 1970 to June 1971.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and ischemic heart disease due to herbicide agent exposure while stationed at Udorn RTAFB Thailand.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to outstanding records and a need for an examination. The issues include left knee, right knee, right shoulder, bilateral hip, insomnia, and heart disability (mitral valve prolapse).

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of 60 percent or higher for coronary artery disease (CAD) has been denied. The Board has also remanded the issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability as a result of service connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for sleep apnea, heart disability, and ED due to insufficient medical opinions. The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is alleged to be related to these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and coronary artery disease, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to in-service noise exposure. Service connection for tinnitus was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.

The Veteran's DIC benefits were correctly calculated and paid, but the appellant is not entitled to additional compensation as her husband was only rated at 100% for less than eight years prior to his death.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and the Board denied service connection for the cause of death due to CHF and hypertensive heart disease. The right knee injury is presumed to have been incurred in service, but it did not contribute substantially or materially to his death.

The Veteran's service connection for coronary artery disease was granted due to a liberalizing law that presumed the condition based on exposure to herbicide agents. The effective date is set at February 4, 2013.

The Veteran's hypertension claim is reopened, and service connection for coronary artery disease is granted. Service connection for HLH is dismissed due to withdrawal of appeal.

The Board has remanded multiple issues including service connection claims, rating determinations for hearing loss and tinnitus, and the reopening of previously denied claims. The appeals are pending and will be addressed in a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC).

The Board has determined that further development is needed for the Veteran's claims, including obtaining SSA records and VA examinations for various conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection and rating increases has been remanded due to the need for further evaluation in several areas, including his right-hand disability and diverticulosis with history of gastroenteritis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him in need of aid and attendance, warranting SMC based on this need.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension with a heart disorder, finding that there was no in-service incurrence or aggravation of these conditions and that continuity of symptomatology could not be established. The evidence did not show treatment for hypertension during active duty or within one year post-service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a lack of information verifying the Veteran's location during his Vietnam-era service. The Veteran served in the Republic of Vietnam, but there is no evidence confirming this.