Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2020

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unemployable, and therefore his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability was denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to uncertainty regarding the Veteran's exposure to Agent Orange and his service in Vietnam waters. Further development is needed, including obtaining deck logs from the USS Davis and verifying if the ship was within 12 nautical miles of the Republic of Vietnam during the Veteran's service.

The Veteran's service connection claim for coronary artery disease (CAD) as secondary to exposure to Agent Orange is granted.,Service connection for hypertension, including as secondary to exposure to Agent Orange and/or CAD, is denied.,Service connection for melanoma, including as secondary to exposure to Agent Orange, is denied.,Service connection for hepatocellular carcinoma, including as secondary to exposure to Agent Orange, is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding his claims of additional heart disabilities caused by VA surgeries and aftercare. The AOJ must obtain updated treatment records, request private records, and seek an addendum opinion from a VA clinician.

The Veteran's service connection claim for coronary artery disease (CAD) is granted due to presumed exposure to herbicides during his active duty in Korea. The Board found the evidence at least in equipoise as to whether he was exposed to herbicides, and thus concluded that CAD can be linked to his military service.

The Veteran's service connection claim for coronary artery disease, status post myocardial infarction is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding his exposure to herbicides while stationed at Nakhon Phanom Air Force base in Thailand.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for prostate cancer, heart disease disability, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, respiratory condition, and upper torso left side scar associated with lung surgery due to potential herbicide exposure. The AOJ is instructed to obtain deck logs from USS Ranger and USS Hancock (CVA-19) and determine if they were within 12 nautical miles of Vietnam during the Veteran's service.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as he does not have a ratable disability involving either ear.,Service connection for tinnitus is also denied because the evidence does not support its onset during or within one year after his military service.

The Board has remanded the claim for further development due to unanswered questions regarding the likely onset of any current heart disability and the significance of certain medical findings.

The Board dismissed all petitions to reopen the previously denied claims for service connection due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for heart condition, prostate cancer, hypertension, urinary incontinence, and erectile dysfunction due to potential herbicide exposure during service.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD was denied, as the symptoms did not result in total occupational and social impairment.,The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent for atherosclerotic coronary artery disease with bypass surgery is remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart disability, claimed as ischemic heart disease and other than hypertension, a cervical spine disability, pseudofolliculitis barbae, bilateral hearing loss, headaches, low back disability, psychiatric disability (PTSD), left elbow disability, right knee disability, left ankle disability, sleep apnea, and hypertension have all been denied. The effective date for the award of service connection for pseudofolliculitis barbae has also been denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient information about the Veteran's service offshore of Vietnam, as it is defined in the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019. The case will be returned for further development.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, a heart disorder, and cellulitis of the lower extremities were denied. The claim for diabetes mellitus was reopened due to new evidence showing potential exposure to herbicide agents in Okinawa, Japan, but the Board found insufficient evidence to confirm such exposure. Service connection was not granted as there is no established link between service and these conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 due to concerns about potential negligence or fault in prescribing Prazosin, which caused her tailbone and hip injuries as well as heart issues.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his coronary artery disease (CAD) was not a principal or contributory cause of his death. The evidence did not establish a diagnosis of CAD prior to his death.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, heart disability, and skin cancer due to in-service herbicide exposure. The VA will conduct further development regarding the Veteran’s service within the territorial sea of Vietnam while aboard the USS Hooper, as well as address his heart disability claim.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to lack of evidence regarding herbicide agent exposure and for a VA examination to determine the etiology of the stroke.

The Board has remanded the case due to potential issues with presumptive exposure to Agent Orange and a lack of information regarding the Veteran's service within the 12 nautical mile territorial sea of Vietnam. The appellant is seeking service connection for the cause of death, which may be related to military service including exposure to Agent Orange.