Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2020

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, a heart disability, and a bilateral eye disability. The Board found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to active duty service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the case for a new medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran experienced additional disability as a result of treatment or lack thereof at the Reno VAMC on March 26, 2015. The opinion should address if this is due to carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment, or similar instance of fault on VA's part.

The appeals for increased ratings and TDIU have been dismissed due to the appellant's death.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension secondary to PTSD and denied service connection for coronary artery disease (CAD) as due to PTSD and hypertension, and diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for heart disability, respiratory disability, and hypertension due to a lack of an opinion regarding their etiology.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeal for service connection of a cardiac disability, including coronary artery disease and atherosclerosis, as secondary to PTSD with major depressive disorder without psychotic features and insomnia.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a heart disorder, including ischemic heart disease, is denied as there is no current diagnosis of such condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for chloracne was denied, while the claim for ischemic (atherosclerotic) heart disease is remanded due to unresolved exposure basis and verification of service in Vietnam.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) and a heart disability, as well as the claim for special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance or housebound status. The remand requests additional opinions to address potential aggravation by PTSD.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a disability rating in excess of 60 percent for coronary artery disease prior to July 19, 2017, and for TDIU and DEA benefits prior to May 4, 2015 due to deficiencies in the retrospective medical opinion provided by the VA examiner.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus has been denied.,Service connection for DMII and a heart condition have been granted, with the effective date being April 18, 2018.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea has been denied.,An effective date prior to April 18, 2018 for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is denied due to lack of evidence within one year of separation from service.

The Veteran's appeal for increased disability ratings for his service-connected ischemic heart disease is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of inguinal hernia repair, a bilateral foot condition, and a heart condition due to insufficient evidence or inadequate reasoning in previous VA examinations. The Board requests addendum opinions from VA examiners to clarify whether these conditions are related to active service.

The Board has remanded the claims for an initial rating higher than 30 percent from August 31, 2010 to October 22, 2013 and from January 1, 2014 to April 19, 2015 for ischemic heart disease status post bypass surgery with pacemaker placement, as well as the claim for a rating higher than 60 percent for heart disease since April 20, 2015. The remand is due to concerns about the probative value of certain medical records and examinations.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his service-connected heart condition, hypertension, and major depressive disorder are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations to assess current severity.

The Board has denied service connection for erectile dysfunction due to lack of a nexus between the condition and service. The Board has also remanded the claim for ischemic heart disease, as it is seeking further development regarding herbicide agent exposure during service in Okinawa.

The Veteran's appeal regarding service connection for coronary artery disease, bilateral hearing loss, glaucoma, erectile dysfunction, prostate disability, skin rash (recurring skin sensation disturbance), and peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity, left upper extremity, right lower extremity, and left lower extremity is denied. The appeals are remanded to obtain additional medical examinations.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD has been granted. The claims for service connection for CAD and TDIU prior to August 30, 2011 have been remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran timely filed a substantive appeal regarding his claims for service connection and increased ratings, thus reinstating the underlying appeals.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to March 14, 2019.