Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2020

The Board has ordered remand for the following issues: service connection for otitis media, service connection for a heart disorder, compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss, and total disability evaluation due to individual unemployability (TDIU). The claims are being returned for further development as VA examinations have not been conducted.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for diabetes mellitus, heart condition, and hypertension all secondary to PTSD due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated as 30 percent disabling, but the Board finds that it does not meet or more closely approximate the criteria for a higher rating.,There is no current diagnosis of ischemic heart disease. The Veteran has hypertension which predates his diabetes and there is no evidence of ischemic heart disease.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart condition, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus type II (DM) due to their secondary nature to his service-connected psychiatric disorder and/or lumbar and cervical spine disorders with upper and lower radiculopathy. The VA examinations were inadequate in addressing these issues.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death, finding that his service-connected conditions did not contribute to his death. The evidence showed no severe cardiac symptoms or episodes prior to death and the autopsy and death certificates indicated pulmonary complications as the immediate cause of death.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to incomplete development regarding mustard gas exposure and potential need for a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 due to non-compliance with previous remand directives.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to insufficient recent examination records and the need for updated assessments of his service-connected conditions.

The Board denied service connection for a respiratory disability, including asthma and chest pains. The Veteran's current diagnosis of asthma is not related to his active duty service.,The Board also denied service connection for memory loss, finding no evidence of such during or recent to the filing of the claim. The Veteran was not diagnosed with memory loss until 2003, approximately eleven years after separation from active service.,Service connection for migraines was denied as well. The August 2016 VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's migraine headaches are likely due to multiple head traumas occurring after his military service.,The Board also denied service connection for a heart disability. The Veteran's pericarditis diagnosis is not related to his active duty service, and the preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that it began during service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for a heart disability and higher initial rating for asthma, including TDIU due to aggravation by service-connected asthma. The Veteran's heart disability is being referred for a new VA opinion on whether it was aggravated by his service-connected asthma or its medications.

The Veteran's CAD disability is rated at a 100 percent for the period from May 1, 2018 to February 20, 2019 due to his workload being less than or equal to 3 METs resulting in fatigue.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was reopened due to new and material evidence. Service connection is granted for this condition based on exposure to herbicide agents during service at Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base in Thailand. The Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease is denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition.

The Board denied service connection for Parkinson's disease, diabetes mellitus, and a heart condition due to herbicide exposure. Service connection was granted for diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart failure. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus were not found to be related to his active duty service.

The Board has granted service connection for asthma and denied service connection for bladder disorder, heart disorder, diabetes mellitus type II, and splenomegaly. The issues of service connection for these conditions are remanded due to conflicting evidence regarding their etiology.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a heart disability and cause of death due to alcoholism as secondary to PTSD. Additional VA medical opinions are needed to determine the nature and etiology of any heart disability and the cause of death.

The Board has remanded the claims due to inadequate VA examinations and insufficient medical opinions.,The Veteran asserts that his conditions are related to service or secondary to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased disability rating, service connection for pain in major joints, and service connection for a heart disorder due to incomplete development of the record.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment, and his TDIU claim is denied.

The Board denied service connection for a heart disorder, hypertension, and residuals of a transient ischemic attack (TIA). The Veteran's heart disorder was not incurred in or caused by service. His hypertension did not manifest during service and the VA examiners found no evidence linking it to active duty. The TIA occurred during INACDUTRA and was not considered an injury resulting from external trauma.,The Board also denied secondary service connection for hypertension, as there was no showing that the heart disorder caused or aggravated the hypertension.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for hypertension due to jet fuel exposure, as there is insufficient evidence regarding its onset and relationship to service.