Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to incomplete records, specifically documents from VISTA imaging dated in June and July of 2013.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for traumatic brain injury, bilateral hearing loss, right eye hyperphoria, lumbar spine disability, coronary artery disease, and pulmonary disorder are remanded due to the need for additional examinations and records. The Veteran also has a compensable initial rating for his bilateral hearing loss from August 14, 2020.

The appeal for a rating in excess of 10 percent for coronary artery disease prior to February 14, 2020 and at 30 percent since is dismissed due to the death of the Veteran. The issue of hypertension was granted with a 30 percent rating effective from February 14, 2020.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for heart disease, residuals of strokes, headaches, and a vision disability due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, type 2; CAD; and hypertension due to herbicide exposure are being remanded as the Board did not provide adequate reasons or bases for its implicit finding that VA had satisfied its duty to assist in this case.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for lung disability and coronary artery disease due to potential causation or aggravation by a service-connected condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for the cause of his death and also denied DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 due to a lack of continuous total disability rating for at least 10 years immediately preceding his death.

The Veteran's heart disease, diabetes mellitus, and tremors of hands and feet were not incurred or aggravated during military service. The appeals for these conditions are denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's diabetes mellitus. The Veteran is requested to be scheduled for a VA examination to determine if his diabetes mellitus had its onset in service or is otherwise related to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for various conditions, including right and left leg conditions, neuropathy, an acquired psychiatric disorder (depression and anxiety), hypertension, and a heart condition. The VA is directed to obtain medical records from the South Carolina Department of Corrections and schedule the Veteran for VA examinations to address the nature and etiology of his claimed disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome, coronary artery disease, back condition, and irritable bowel syndrome due to inadequate medical opinions regarding aggravation or causation.

The Veteran's effective date for a 100% evaluation for service-connected coronary arteriosclerotic heart disease is granted as of December 1, 2017. Prior to this date, the criteria for a higher rating were not met.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a respiratory disability and heart disability, as well as his claim for TDIU prior to August 18, 2015. The decision found that there was insufficient evidence to establish a relationship between these disabilities and service or service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease was granted a 100% disability rating from July 19, 2010. The initial rating period of August 31, 2009 to July 19, 2010 saw the Veteran receiving a 10% disability rating.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his service-connected coronary artery disease was dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has granted service connection for HIV, but the issues of service connection for coronary artery disease, anxiety, and depression secondary to HIV have been remanded due to insufficient medical opinions.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is denied as the appeal for TDIU based on a single service-connected disability has been rendered moot due to his already having a combined 100 percent schedular rating.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as his initial rating requests for heart disability were all denied. The Board found that there was no evidence linking the disabilities to service or post-service onset.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disability has been reopened due to new evidence. The case is remanded for further verification of herbicide exposure in Thailand and Vietnam, and for a VA examination or opinion regarding the relationship between any such exposure and the heart disability.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a heart disability, diabetes, and bilateral upper extremity peripheral neuropathy due to additional development being necessary.