Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2020

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosed heart disability, and therefore cannot establish service connection for ischemic heart disease.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to September 25, 2006 for the award of service connection for coronary artery disease is denied. The earliest allowable effective date is September 25, 2006.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease is granted as due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam, and the claim is decided in his favor.

The Board has decided that there is insufficient evidence to determine if the Veteran's service connection claim for coronary artery disease should be granted. The case will now be sent back to VA for further investigation and review.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for fatigue, joint pain, muscle pain, sleep trouble, and a heart disability due to coronary artery disease. The Veteran's headache disability is denied as there is no evidence of an in-service injury or illness that caused his current condition.

The Board has granted service connection for a sinus disability and ischemic heart disease, finding that the Veteran's conditions are at least as likely as not related to his military service.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease is presumed to have been incurred in service due to exposure to herbicides, including Agent Orange. The Board granted the claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease, including as due to in-service herbicide exposure, is remanded for additional development.

The Veteran's service connection claims for multiple myeloma and a heart disability are granted due to presumed exposure to herbicides. The remaining issues of service connection for sleep apnea, an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD and depression), and a headache disability are remanded.

The appeals regarding service connection for various conditions have been reopened, but the claims are still pending as new evidence has not established a clear link to military service. The rating for GERD remains unchanged.

The Board has dismissed all service connection claims due to the Veteran's death during the appeal process.

The Board has remanded the cases due to uncertainty about the Veteran's exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam and his service on ships within 12 nautical miles of the coast. The VA will need to determine if he served in these areas and obtain relevant ship logs.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are granted. The Board finds that the Veteran was likely exposed to herbicide agents during his service in Korea and has developed ischemic heart disease, prostate cancer, urinary incontinence, sexual impotence, hypertension, bradycardia, and Barrett esophagus as a result of such exposure.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus type 2 due to insufficient evidence regarding his exposure to herbicide agents in Okinawa, Japan.

The Board has determined that a VA medical examination is necessary to determine the etiology of the Veteran's coronary artery disease/atherosclerosis, which may be related to his service. The appeal is remanded for this purpose.

The Board denied service connection for coronary artery atherosclerotic heart disease (CAD) as the evidence did not support a link between the condition and the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss has been denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease, including as due to exposure to herbicide agents, is remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including those for a bilateral eye disorder, bilateral shoulder disorder, acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD), speech disorder, and right leg disorder. The effective dates are not specified in this decision.

The Board denied the reopening of a service connection claim for ischemic heart disease due to lack of new and material evidence, as the Veteran's testimony regarding his service in the DMZ was not considered new or material.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a heart condition, but further development is needed as the Veteran has not been provided with a VA examination to evaluate these conditions.