Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2020

The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea, glaucoma, and prostate cancer. The Veteran's left knee disability and heart condition are being remanded.,Service connection was not granted for the Veteran's claimed conditions as they were found to be less likely related to his period of active duty.

The Veteran's heart disability, squamous cell cancer of the head/neck with metastasis to the larynx, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities were not shown as chronic in service or within a presumptive period. The appeals for these conditions are denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for ischemic heart disease, skin disability, and bilateral lower extremity neuropathy due to potential herbicide exposure. The RO is instructed to verify whether the Veteran served in the Republic of Vietnam and obtain any relevant medical records.

The Veteran's death was caused by the prescribed anticoagulant medication (Lovenox) for his service-connected coronary artery disease, which led to intra-abdominal bleeding and subsequent hemorrhagic shock.

The Board denied service connection for ischemic heart disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus, finding no evidence of a relationship to service or exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to conflicting MET scores and a need for additional evidence, including exercise stress test results.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and a new one is needed to determine if the Veteran's diagnosed coronary artery disease had its onset in service.

The Veteran's claims for an increased rating for coronary artery disease and service connection for obstructive sleep apnea are being remanded due to the failure of the Veteran to attend scheduled VA examinations. The Board will provide another opportunity for the Veteran to appear for these examinations.

The Board has remanded the claims of left shoulder, right shoulder, back and heart disabilities due to insufficient evidence or need for further examination.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for a heart condition was granted. The Board also remanded several other issues including diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, vascular/artery disease and/or heart disorder condition, hypertension, and colon disorder.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection were dismissed. The appeal to establish entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability was denied. Appeals for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and COPD were withdrawn prior to the Board decision.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development to determine if he was exposed to herbicide agents during service and whether his current conditions are related to such exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to uncertainty about whether the Veteran was diagnosed with CAD/IHD prior to his death, and needs a medical review for an opinion on this matter.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, a skin disorder of the left forehead and lower jawline, and a heart disorder. The Board found no current diagnosis of PTSD or any other psychiatric disorders in the record. For the skin disorder, the VA examiner determined it was not related to herbicide exposure. For the heart disorder, the VA examiner found cardiomyopathy but did not find ischemic heart disease.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disability was denied as he does not have a chronic respiratory disability.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than October 18, 2015 for the award of service connection for diabetes mellitus was denied as there is no evidence of entitlement prior to this date.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted with a 70 percent disability rating, effective May 19, 2017. The condition causes significant occupational and social impairment.

The Veteran's gout was not present in service and is unrelated to service.,A cervical spine disability, low back disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy were not present in service or within one year following separation from service. The Veteran’s disabilities are not otherwise related to service.,Sleep apnea was not present in service and is unrelated to service.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for hypertension and heart condition, but these claims are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not necessitate the care or assistance of another person on a regular basis, to protect him from the hazards or dangers of his daily environment, substantially confine him to his dwelling or immediate premises, or require institutionalization.

The Board dismissed all appeals due to the Veteran's death.