Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2020

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease has not met the criteria for a higher rating from May 21, 2007 to November 15, 2010 and from November 15, 2010 to August 2, 2017.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions have rendered him unable to maintain substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted a TDIU rating.

The Board denied service connection for ischemic heart disease and hypertension, finding that the Veteran did not have a current diagnosis of these conditions.,Service connection was also denied as there is no evidence of chronic ischemic heart disease or hypertension in service, nor any continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Veteran's heart disability was denied as it did not manifest in-service or within one year after separation, and is not shown to be causally related to service.,The Veteran's left shoulder disability was denied as the evidence does not support a finding that his current condition is directly related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for esophageal cancer with metastases to the liver as secondary to Agent Orange exposure. Service connection for a heart disability, claimed as secondary to esophageal cancer, was denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease, PTSD, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and left foot stress fracture, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise on whether he is unemployable due to these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent for ischemic heart disease (IHD) and his claim for TDIU prior to April 7, 2017 were both denied. The decision found that the evidence did not support higher ratings or entitlement to TDIU based on the service-connected disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hand numbness, left ankle strain with instability, sinusitis, migraine headaches, and a heart condition with chest pain. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions began during active service or are otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for coronary artery disease (CAD) is being remanded due to outstanding VA treatment records from the Eglin AFB VA Clinic.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart disorder, to include atrial fibrillation, and prostate cancer due to inadequate medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran served in France during active duty where he was exposed to chemical waste and burn pits without protective gear.

The Veteran's initial claim for an increased rating for coronary artery disease (CAD) was denied, and the Board has remanded the issues of service connection for peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities.,Service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity is remanded due to inadequate medical opinion regarding herbicide exposure.,Service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity is also remanded due to inadequate medical opinion regarding herbicide exposure.

The reduction in rating to 10 percent for ischemic heart disease was improper, and requirements for restoration of the 30 percent rating have been met. The increased rating claim for IHD is denied.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's heart condition, finding that it was not proximately caused or aggravated by his service-connected disabilities or medications.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for a heart disorder before the Board made a decision.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to obtain and maintain gainful employment prior to March 7, 2017.

The Board found that the reduction of the Veteran's CAD rating from 60 percent to 10 percent, effective July 1, 2018 was proper based on improvement in his condition.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, CAD and old myocardial infarction are presumed to be related to herbicide exposure during service. The Board grants service connection for these conditions. Service connection is also granted for the Veteran's CAD and old myocardial infarction due to herbicide exposure. However, service connection for gastrointestinal disability, skin cancer, and respiratory disability remains pending as further medical examination and opinion are needed.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disability, finding that there is no evidence of a current diagnosis and noting that any potential link to active service is not supported by medical opinions. The Board also noted that the passage of time since separation from service weighs against the claims.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for tinnitus and TDIU due to new evidence submitted by the Veteran. The case will be returned for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records, a completed VA Form 21-8940, and an addendum medical opinion.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was rated at 20 percent from April 9, 2018 to January 27, 2020 and at 30 percent from January 28, 2020. Both ratings were denied.,Service connection for ischemic heart disease due to herbicide exposure was remanded.