Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, lung disability, ischemic heart disease, skin cancer, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to exposure to dust and chemicals in service as a dental technician.

The Board denied DIC benefits for the Veteran's cause of death, finding that there was no service connection and no evidence linking the cause of death to service.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease, and obstructive sleep apnea have been granted. Diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart disease are presumed due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam. Obstructive sleep apnea is found to be related to the Veteran's active duty.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss disability and TDIU prior to December 20, 2016 have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating at any time during the appeal period.

The Veteran's left foot wound or ulcer is granted service connection as it is aggravated by his service-connected diabetes. The Veteran's bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy and CAD are not rated higher than the current assigned ratings.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a failure by the AOJ to conduct a VA examination as requested in February 2020. The Veteran was not informed of the location, date, and time of the scheduled examination.

The Board has ordered a remand to obtain private treatment records and provide an addendum medical opinion regarding the cause of death. The claim will be reconsidered after these actions are completed.

The Board has remanded the case due to lack of substantial compliance with its previous instructions, and further examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's heart conditions are related to service, including chemical exposure.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of obstructive sleep apnea is remanded due to the untimely filing of his VA Form 9. The issue will be readjudicated after obtaining new medical opinions and evidence.

The Board has found that the Veteran's heart disorder, left shoulder disorder, back disorder, and left knee disorder are not related to his military service or secondary to his service-connected left hallux valgus. The case is being remanded for additional medical opinions regarding these issues.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further development and adjudication, including obtaining medical opinions to address the etiology of his claimed disabilities and verifying his service in the Republic of Vietnam.

The Veteran's application to reopen claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a neuropsychiatric disorder was granted. Claims for diabetes, chronic fatigue syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), occipital neuralgia, and an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD were denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease, hypertension, and obstructive sleep apnea is remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for ischemic heart disease (claimed as angina) due to herbicide exposure, and assigned a 30 percent rating effective July 23, 2012.,Service connection was also granted for PTSD based on presumed exposure to Agent Orange during service. The effective date of this grant is set at July 23, 2012.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to November 1, 2008 for a grant of service connection for coronary artery disease associated with hypertension is remanded due to inadequate medical opinions and missing VA records.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's hiatal hernia is secondary to his service-connected duodenal ulcer or heart condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's heart disability, specifically coronary artery disease (CAD), is not related to his service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to verify the Veteran's exposure to herbicides and to obtain his complete service personnel records. The issues of service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, heart disorder (CAD), hypertension, and an acquired psychiatric disorder are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his coronary artery disease was denied by the Board. The evidence showed that during the appeal period, the Veteran had an ejection fraction in excess of 50 percent and a workload between 5 and 7 METs resulting in symptoms; however, congestive heart failure was not shown.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's heart disability, including as due to herbicide agent exposure, should be remanded for further development and examination.

The Board has granted the petitions to reopen previously denied claims for service connection for heart condition, acquired psychiatric disability, diabetes mellitus, Parkinson's disease, and arthritis. The new evidence submitted since the August 2009 Board decision relates these conditions to active military service.