Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2020

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and the Board denied entitlement to DIC benefits for the cause of his death. Accrued benefits were also denied. Death pension benefits are remanded due to lack of evidence regarding aid and attendance.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease, with hypertension, is rated at 60 percent since December 2, 2011. The rating is denied as the condition does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his ischemic heart disease has been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating since May 23, 2013.

The Board denied service connection for a heart disability and prostate cancer, finding that the evidence did not support a link to service or any presumptive conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance or housebound status.

The Board has dismissed all appeals for service connection as the Veteran withdrew his requests to appeal these issues.

The VA has ordered that all outstanding treatment records be obtained, including those scanned into the imaging system. The veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded to allow for this.

The Veteran's left knee disability and bilateral hearing loss have been granted service connection. Service connection for type two diabetes mellitus, heart condition, prostate cancer, and right knee disability is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease and prostate cancer, both of which are presumed to be related to herbicide exposure during active service. The appeal regarding bilateral hearing loss and Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to evaluate the Veteran's current severity of PTSD and TDIU. The effective date for TDIU remains July 27, 2010.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, hypertension, and chest pain to include a heart condition due to potential issues with causation or aggravation by service-connected PTSD.

The Board has denied service connection for hypertension and a heart disability, finding that the Veteran's conditions did not have onset during active service or are not etiologically related to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), sleep apnea, and heart disease as there is no evidence showing a causal relationship between the conditions and active duty service.

The Veteran's entitlement to a higher rating for coronary artery disease is granted, with the effective date being December 21, 2015. The issue of service connection for erectile dysfunction secondary to a service-connected disability is also remanded.

The Veteran's previously denied claims for service connection for left knee disability, COPD, hypertension, skin cancer, and heart condition are all remanded due to incomplete service treatment records. The Board finds new and material evidence sufficient to reopen the claim for left knee disability.

The Veteran's service-connected heart condition with supraventricular tachycardia and atrial fibrillation renders him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation consistent with his education and work history, warranting a TDIU on an extra-schedular basis.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease was not found to meet the criteria for a higher rating, as it did not result in more than one episode of acute congestive heart failure or left ventricular dysfunction with an ejection fraction between 30% and 50%. The preponderance of evidence supported the current 30 percent rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for type 2 diabetes mellitus (DMII) and coronary artery disease (CAD) has been granted.,Service connection is also granted for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, with the presumption of exposure to herbicide agents in Korea.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the claims of service connection and rating for various conditions, including anxiety disorder, diabetes mellitus, heart disability, peripheral neuropathy in the lower and upper extremities, as well as TDIU. The Veteran will be provided with new VA examinations to address these issues.