Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2020

The Board dismissed the appeal due to the appellant's death, and no service connection was granted or denied.

The Veteran's initial rating for coronary artery disease (CAD) is denied as the evidence does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disability, finding that there was no evidence of ischemic heart disease during or within one year after service. The Board also found that the Veteran did not have a pre-existing condition aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and rating of a heart condition due to insufficient information in the current record. The Veteran's anxiety disorder NOS with panic attacks is being recharacterized as an acquired psychiatric disorder, and his heart condition requires further examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for ischemic heart disease and prostate cancer, finding no evidence of herbicide exposure during service. The Veteran was not granted presumptive service connection based on his claimed in-service herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's initial rating for IHD from July 1, 2013 to September 3, 2015 was denied as his symptoms did not meet the criteria for a disability rating in excess of 30 percent. From September 4, 2015 to July 10, 2016, he received a 60 percent rating based on his METs level and LVEF. However, from July 11, 2016 to February 12, 2019, the Veteran's condition did not meet the criteria for a disability rating in excess of 60 percent.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for heart disease is remanded.,Service connection for hypertension (HTN) and right knee osteoarthritis was denied as the conditions were not incurred in or aggravated by active military service, nor are they related to a service-connected condition. The Veteran’s BHL prior to December 7, 2017, and in excess of 10 percent thereafter is also denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for left knee osteoarthritis was remanded as the evidence does not show that the condition manifested during or within one year after service. The Veteran’s BHL prior to December 7, 2017, and in excess of 10 percent thereafter is also denied.

The Veteran's CAD and DM are granted as presumptively related to herbicide exposure.,Peripheral neuropathy in both feet is granted as secondary to service-connected DM, while nerve damage in both legs remains pending due to lack of evidence.

The Veteran's service connection claims for cerebrovascular accident, heart condition, kidney condition, testicular condition, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), bilateral knee condition, and left lower and upper extremity paralysis have all been denied as there is no evidence of a direct link between these conditions and his military service.,The Veteran's service records were destroyed in 1973, making it impossible to establish any connection between the claimed disabilities and his active duty.

The Veteran's CAD has worsened, and a new VA examination is needed to assess the current severity of his condition.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD have been reopened. The initial disability rating for painful scar residual of shrapnel fragment wound, claimed as SFW, right leg is denied. The initial compensable rating for left popliteal fossa scar residual of shrapnel fragment wound, claimed as SFW, right leg is also denied.

The Board has granted service connection for ischemic heart disease (IHD) based on exposure to herbicide agents while stationed in Korea, finding that the Veteran's MOS required him to work close to the soil’s surface and subsurface where he was exposed to residual herbicides.