Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2020

The Board denied service connection for the cause of death due to a remote onset of ischemic heart disease and no proof of a relationship to service, including exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service-connected burial benefits, finding that his death was not caused by a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are granted a 30 percent rating. Service connection for cardiovascular disorder, diabetes mellitus type II, lumbar spine disorder, right shoulder disorder, and chin disorder is denied.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability and sleep apnea are not service connected as they were not shown to be related to his active duty. The bilateral knee disabilities and heart disability (right bundle branch block and AV nodal conduction defect) are also not service connected, with the exception of hypertension which is being remanded for further review.,The Veteran's sleep apnea was not shown to be caused or aggravated by his service-connected plantar fasciitis. The bilateral knee disabilities were not found to be related to his service-connected plantar fasciitis and pes planus. The heart disability (right bundle branch block and AV nodal conduction defect) is being remanded for further review, as are the hypertension issues.,The Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities were not shown to be caused or aggravated by his service-connected plantar fasciitis with pes planus. The heart disability was found to have a congenital origin but no superimposed disease or injury during service. Hypertension is being remanded for further review as it may be related to the Veteran's pre-service periods of active duty.,The Veteran's heart disability (right bundle branch block and AV nodal conduction defect) was found not to have been aggravated by his service from June 2004 to September 2004. The hypertension is being remanded for further review as it may be related to the Veteran's pre-service periods of active duty.,The Veteran's hypertension is being remanded for further review.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for retinitis, diabetes mellitus, PTSD, and ischemic heart disease in June 2019.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA medical examination to assess the severity of his service-connected coronary artery disease. The issues of entitlement to an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for CAD and TDIU are also being remanded.

The Veteran's initial rating for coronary artery disease with ischemic heart disease is denied as the evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to lack of clarification from the Veteran about whether he was going to withdraw his claim for ischemic heart disease and plans to put in a claim for irregular heartbeat. The case is also remanded for another VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any current heart disabilities, including ischemic heart disease and irregular heartbeat.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's ischemic heart disease had its onset in, or is otherwise related to, his military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension and remanded the issue of service connection for a heart disability due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's SMC at the housebound rate should be restored due to a lack of proper coding in his previous rating decision. However, the claim is being remanded for further development as it also involves defective vision and whether the Veteran is substantially confined to his dwelling and immediate premises.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, right ear hearing loss disability, tinnitus, and heart disability were all granted service connection. The heart disability was determined to be ischemic heart disease.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for coronary artery disease was denied, but the Board granted a TDIU effective September 28, 2015. The decision is mixed as it grants one issue and denies another.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation in excess of 30 percent for hypertensive heart disease with angina pectoris to include coronary artery disease, congestive heart disease, and atrial flutter is remanded due to the failure to report to a scheduled VA examination.

The Veteran's cause of death, coronary artery disease, is found to be related to his service-connected left extremity below-the-knee amputation. The Board granted the claim for service connection for the cause of death.

The Veteran's death was not caused by service-connected conditions, and the Board denied service connection for the cause of his death due to lack of evidence linking IHD to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease was denied in the August 2003 rating decision due to lack of evidence of head and neck cancer during his active service. The appellant did not appeal this denial.,The appellant submitted new evidence suggesting that the cause of death may be related to herbicide agent exposure, which could potentially reopen the claim for service connection for cause of death.,VA received an original claim for coronary artery disease on March 11, 2003. The effective date was set at this date as the Veteran submitted medical records indicating a diagnosis of coronary artery disease.

The Board has denied the Veteran's appeal due to a lack of timely Notice of Disagreement (NOD) for the June 2013 and May 2014 decisions denying service connection for ischemic heart disease. The case is remanded for further action regarding exposure to herbicide agents during service.

The Board denied an initial disability rating in excess of 30 percent for heart disease prior to May 17, 2018, finding that the evidence did not meet the schedular requirements for a higher rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to a need for an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected MDD and anxiety disorder caused or aggravated his hypertension, which is part of his service-connected CAD.