Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete contact information and need for updated medical records.

The Veteran's residuals of TBI, including memory loss and headaches, are granted. The right knee DJD is rated at 30 percent based on subluxation and instability.

The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease with quadruple bypass surgery is being remanded due to the need for additional private medical evidence regarding the severity of his condition prior to March 21, 2013.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to inadequate compliance with previous remand directives, including verifying exposure to hazardous chemicals and radiation during service.

The Board has decided that a VA examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of any current heart disorder/disease, including whether it is related to service or secondary to sleep apnea.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at 20 percent since January 17, 2019. The appeal for higher ratings on this issue and service connection for other conditions are denied.

The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there is no persuasive evidence linking the Veteran's disabilities to any injury or disease during service. The preponderance of the evidence is against the claim.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and a heart condition, finding that the evidence did not support a link to service or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's service connection claims for type II diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease are granted due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during his service in the Republic of Vietnam.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus, neuropathy of the lower extremities, diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration, and heart disability due to potential new evidence received since previous decisions.

The Board has granted service connection for ischemic heart disease, finding that the Veteran's in-service herbicide exposure at Ubon RTAB likely brought him near the perimeter of the base and thus exposed him to herbicides. The Veteran was diagnosed with coronary artery disease as early as October 2004, which is one of the diseases recognized as being associated with herbicide agent exposure.

The Veteran's service connection claim for ischemic heart disease, including as due to herbicide exposure, is denied because the evidence does not show a link between his current condition and his military service.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease, and bilateral hearing loss as the appellant withdrew his appeal.

The Veteran's service connection for coronary artery disease and PTSD is granted, while his claims for high cholesterol, hypertension, prostate disorder, respiratory disorder, skin disorder, right foot disability, and left foot disability are remanded.

Service connection is granted for diabetes mellitus type II and erectile dysfunction as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.,Service connection is denied for a respiratory disorder. Service connection is remanded for ischemic heart disease, hypertension, and skin cancers (claimed as soft tissue sarcoma).

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU, finding that his service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for coronary artery disease (CAD) from July 1, 2016 is dismissed. The Veteran's initial 30 percent rating for CAD prior to July 1, 2016 is granted. Service connection for PTSD is granted.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right knee, right hip, and left hip disorders as secondary to service-connected disabilities due to insufficient medical opinions in the March 2017 VA examination. The Veteran's hypertension and CAD are also being remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has remanded two issues: the Veteran's claim for an increased rating for coronary artery disease and his claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss. The VA needs to obtain all relevant private treatment records, conduct new examinations by appropriate clinicians, and then reassess these claims.