Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2020

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease and PTSD, render him unable to obtain and retain substantially gainful employment. As a result, the Board has granted his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease status post myocardial infarction and bypass graft was denied due to the lack of a current disability. The effective date remains September 5, 2018.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU was denied due to a VA examination finding that his heart condition did not impact his employability. The Board finds this decision flawed and orders the RO to provide an appropriate VA examination to assess the current impact of his service-connected conditions on his ability to work.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date and increased rating for service-connected coronary artery disease was denied. The Board found that the earliest effective date of August 31, 2010 is appropriate due to the liberalizing law change regarding ischemic heart disease (IHD)/coronary artery disease being added to the list of diseases presumed to be caused by exposure to an herbicide agent such as Agent Orange. The Veteran's claim for a higher rating was also denied because his coronary artery disease did not meet the criteria for a 30% or higher disability rating prior to November 20, 2014 and 60% thereafter.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension, coronary artery disease (CAD), diabetes mellitus type II (DMII), a digestive condition, a skin condition including shingles, and memory loss due to insufficient evidence or need for further examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to concerns about the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents during service in Korea. Additional development is needed, including verifying distances from the DMZ and civilian control line, as well as whether small-scale herbicides were used at Camp Santa Barbara.

The Veteran's service connection claims for DMII and coronary artery disease due to herbicide exposure are granted.,Service connection is also granted for ED, hypertension, and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities as secondary to service-connected DMII.

The Board has ordered the Veteran to be rescheduled for VA examinations to determine if his COPD and heart disability are related to service, particularly due to exposure to dust, exhaust fumes, and chemical/organic fumes. The claims will also consider whether these conditions are caused or aggravated by his service-connected delusional disorder.

The Board has remanded the case to determine if an extraschedular TDIU is warranted prior to February 1, 2011.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease, finding no current diagnosis of the condition and noting that it is not linked to his active service. The appeal was based on presumed exposure to Agent Orange.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear sensorineural hearing loss and ischemic heart disease, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to military noise exposure and herbicide agent exposure, respectively.,Service connection was established based on presumptive service connection due to exposure to herbicides during service.

The Veteran's initial rating for CAD with bypass graft and supraventricular arrhythmia was granted at 10% prior to August 4, 2015. A subsequent increase to 30% followed on or after August 4, 2015. The claim for a higher rating is denied. The Veteran's entitlement to TDIU is also denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for coronary artery disease, bladder condition, erectile dysfunction, and hypertension, finding that there was no evidence to support a causal relationship between these conditions and his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension and heart disability due to in-service herbicide exposure. The claims will be reviewed on their merits, and medical opinions are needed regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claims for coronary artery disease, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, and bilateral lower extremity neuropathy are all granted due to presumed exposure to herbicides during his military service.

The Board denied service connection for vertigo and type II diabetes mellitus, finding that there is no evidence of a relationship to military service.

The Board has denied service connection for various disabilities, including bilateral eye disability, heart disability, erectile dysfunction, prostate disability, urinary disability, lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, left hip disability, right hip disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, left ankle disability, right ankle disability, and left foot disability. The Board found that these disabilities were not incurred or aggravated by service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus, Type II due to herbicide exposure are granted. The Board found the evidence sufficient to presume exposure to herbicides during his service in Thailand.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is rated at 70 percent, which exceeds the requested rating of 30 percent.,CAD is currently rated at 30 percent and does not warrant a higher rating due to the absence of congestive heart failure or left ventricular dysfunction with an ejection fraction of 30 to 50 percent.,The thoracolumbar spine disability is rated at 20 percent, which corresponds to forward flexion limited to 60 degrees during flare-ups and after repetitive use testing. The Veteran's symptoms do not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to lack of left ventricular dysfunction or ankylosis.,Left knee chondromalacia is rated at 10 percent, which corresponds to objective evidence of painful motion without loss in range of motion on flexion. The Veteran's symptoms do not warrant a higher rating.,GERD with hiatal hernia is rated at 10 percent, which corresponds to considerable impairment of health but does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the increased evaluation of his service-connected coronary artery disease is denied. The effective date assigned by the RO (Regional Office) does not meet the criteria set forth in the law.