Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding his exposure to herbicide agents in Okinawa, Japan. The claims will be reviewed again after additional development is completed.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to exposure to herbicide agents. The issues include heart disability, prostate condition, skin conditions, and COPD.

The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities.,The Veteran is also granted special monthly compensation at the housebound rate because he requires assistance with activities of daily living and cannot leave his home unattended.

All previously denied claims for service connection have been dismissed.,A noncompensable rating has been granted for bilateral ankle sprains since June 3, 2005.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to issues with the duty to assist and because of the inextricability between the psychiatric disability claim and the coronary artery disease claim.

The Board has remanded the claims for ischemic heart disease and TDIU due to inadequate medical opinions in the previous decision. The case is being returned for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and Social Security Administration records.

The Board dismissed the appeal because the appellant failed to submit a completed VA Form 21-4142, which would have authorized VA to obtain terminal medical records necessary to adjudicate the claim of entitlement to service connection for the Veteran's cause of death. The evidence was insufficient to determine whether a service-connected disability was singly or with some other condition the immediate or underlying cause of the Veteran’s death.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, rib disability, and ischemic heart disease to include as secondary to herbicide exposure.,Service connection was granted for tinnitus due to a current diagnosed disability and credible evidence linking it to acoustic trauma during active duty. However, the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss or rib disability, nor is there sufficient evidence to support service connection for ischemic heart disease.

The Veteran's claim for a dental condition for VA compensation purposes is denied as there is no indication of a current disability that can be attributed to service.,Service connection for transient cerebral ischemia and heart disorder are both denied due to lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated during active duty.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities contributed substantially or materially to his death. The appellant contends that the Veteran's coronary artery disease, which was not service-connected, and his service-connected left hip and knee arthritis disabilities caused him to fall and fracture his hip, leading to surgery and ultimately resulting in his death.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability and basic eligibility for education benefits since May 1, 2008 due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for lung cancer and heart condition due to exposure to herbicides. Additional development is needed, including a VA examination to determine if the conditions are related to active service.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection for valvular heart disease, status post aortic valve replacement due to incomplete records and need for further evaluation.

The claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death has been reopened due to new and material evidence. The case is being remanded for further examination to determine if ischemic heart disease was a causative or significant contributory factor in the Veteran’s death.

The Board denied service connection for a heart attack and heart disability, finding that the preponderance of evidence did not support the existence of these conditions during the period on appeal or prior to death.

The Board denied the Appellant's request for an earlier effective date for the grant of Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) due to ischemic heart disease, finding that March 1, 2006 is the appropriate effective date as it is the later of the date of claim and the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for heart disability, hypertension, residuals of a stroke, dental disability, and eye injury due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.

The Veteran's initial and higher ratings for coronary artery disease are denied. The Board finds the April 26, 2012 VA examination is more probative as to the severity of his condition from the effective date and from April 26, 2012, to February 10, 2013.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss and left ear hearing loss are remanded for further examination.,The Veteran's claim for service connection of his acquired psychiatric disorder is remanded due to conflicting medical opinions.,The Veteran's heart disability claim is remanded as there is no VA examination or etiological opinion addressing the issue.,The Veteran's solitary pulmonary nodule (lung condition) claim is remanded for an addendum opinion regarding the presumption of soundness and aggravation.,The Veteran's service connection for his claimed lung condition is remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including posttraumatic stress disorder, coronary artery disease with myocardial infarction, frostbite injuries in each extremity, left elbow mild degenerative arthritis, right shoulder bursitis, tinnitus, hemorrhoids, and hypertension, have resulted in the need for aid and attendance due to functional limitations.