Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2020

The Veteran's need for aid and attendance is granted due to his service-connected disabilities, with the Board finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether it is solely due to these conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has determined that a higher evaluation is not warranted.,For issues related to peripheral neuropathy and coronary artery disease, additional evidence is needed as they are remanded for further review.

The Veteran's skin condition, bilateral hearing loss, diabetes mellitus, heart disability, anemia, and peripheral neuropathy are all granted. The skin condition is due to herbicide exposure. Bilateral hearing loss is rated at 10 percent from July 18, 2011 through January 19, 2012, and in excess of 10 percent thereafter. Diabetes mellitus is rated at 10 percent prior to November 7, 2012, and 20 percent thereafter. The heart disability and anemia are secondary to diabetes mellitus.

The Board has denied service connection for lumbar degenerative disc disease and remanded the remaining issues. The Veteran's claims are now pending before the RO.

The Veteran's death was caused by coronary artery disease, but he did not have service connection for this condition as due to exposure to herbicidal agents or PTSD. The Board denied the claim for accrued benefits.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's hypertension and heart condition, which are deemed contributory causes of death. The VA is required to obtain an addendum opinion from a medical provider.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a sleep disorder is denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition.,For his coronary artery disease, the Veteran is not entitled to a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to March 28, 2017 and 30 percent from that date onwards. The evidence does not support a higher rating based on METs levels or other criteria.

The Board has remanded the claims for ischemic heart disease, liver cirrhosis, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and diabetes mellitus for service connection as well as the substitution claim due to incomplete notification.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for coronary artery disease and Parkinson’s disease, both related to herbicide exposure. Additional development is needed to verify the Veteran's foreign service and specific aircraft assignments.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) disability is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of his condition.

The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for SMC (l) and automobile or other conveyance and adaptive equipment benefits, as he does not have anatomical loss or use of both feet, one hand and one foot. The decision was based on the current evidence showing no functional impairment requiring aid and attendance.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart condition and low back injury due to incomplete consideration of evidence, including new diagnoses and lay statements. The cases are returned for further development.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and review due to incomplete compliance with previous instructions, including obtaining private treatment records and scheduling VA examinations.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for coronary artery disease due to VA medical treatment has been dismissed because the Veteran died before a decision could be made.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease was received on September 27, 2016. The Board denied an earlier effective date as the claim was not filed before this date.

The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to or as a consequence of COPD, which is considered presumptive based on exposure to mustard gas during service.

The Board denied service connection for cause of death due to conflicting medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's back condition and radiculopathy caused his hypertensive heart disease or cardiomyopathy.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to missing or canceled VA examinations and rude behavior from the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for heart disease, to include as secondary to his service-connected PTSD with major depressive disorder, due to insufficient compliance with previous remand directives and incomplete medical opinions.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to chronic lymphocytic leukemia, neutropenic fever, and tumor lysis syndrome. The claim was also denied for COPD and CAD.