Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2020

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death prior to a final decision being made.

The Veteran's central retinal vein occlusion of the left eye is service connected and has been rated at 30 percent. The claim for increased special monthly compensation based on loss of use of one eye having only light perception was denied, but the glaucoma neovascular of the left eye associated with this condition is now granted as secondary to the central retinal vein occlusion.

The Veteran's cause of death was a combination of cardiac disease, hypertension, lipoidemia, and a prior coronary artery bypass surgery. The Appellant is requesting service connection for the causes of her son’s pending claims, which were not adjudicated before his death.

The Board denied service connection for a heart condition, finding that the evidence did not establish a link to service or herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's requests to reopen claims for service connection for Ischemic Heart Disease and Hypertension due to Diabetes Mellitus, Type II were denied. The evidence submitted did not establish a current diagnosis or link between the conditions and the service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease is rated at 60 percent since March 28, 2011. The rating has not been granted higher as the evidence does not show that he had chronic congestive heart failure or left ventricular dysfunction with an ejection fraction of less than 30 percent.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's claimed conditions, including diabetes mellitus, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), coronary artery disease, kidney disease, anemia, bilateral eye disorder, and hypertension, all of which are presumed to be due to exposure to Agent Orange in Thailand.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and TDIU due to inadequate notice regarding a proposed reduction in the Veteran's coronary artery disease rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for TDIU prior to May 16, 2016 due to a lack of evidence showing that his service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's initial rating for service-connected ischemic heart disease is denied, but he is granted a total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to June 4, 2010.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a higher rating for coronary artery disease and for TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease. The reasons include insufficient information from the previous VA examination and the need for additional medical records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have been shown to prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment since October 1, 2014. The Board has granted a TDIU effective October 1, 2014.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus, type II and a heart condition due to potential herbicide exposure in-service. Additional development is needed including verification of exposure and VA examinations.

The Board denied service connection for a heart disability and hypertension, both claimed as secondary to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The Veteran's heart attack in 2011 is not considered service-connected due to lack of evidence showing its onset during or immediately after service. Hypertension was also not shown to have had its onset within one year following service discharge.,The Board found no direct service connection for the conditions, and did not find presumptive service connection based on chronic diseases.

The Veteran's skin disability is denied as not related to service or secondary to diabetes mellitus. The Veteran's CAD prior to August 20, 2013 and from August 20, 2013 to January 5, 2020 are both denied for higher ratings.

The Board denied service connection for a respiratory disability, to include sleep apnea.,The Board denied service connection for hepatitis C.,The Board denied service connection for a heart disability, claimed as the result of herbicide agent exposure.,The Board denied service connection for a pancreas disability, claimed as the result of herbicide agent exposure.,The Board denied service connection for a gastrointestinal disability, claimed as the result of herbicide agent exposure.,The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, claimed as the result of herbicide agent exposure.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for coronary artery disease and TDIU are remanded due to the need for additional medical records and a new VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine disability is not causally related to his military service and therefore denied service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service on USS Piedmont was within Vietnam's territorial waters, which would entitle him to the presumption of herbicide agent exposure. The claim for service connection for cause of death is remanded due to the need for additional development regarding the specific dates and locations of his service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of right hand condition, left hand condition, hypertension, heart condition, prostate condition, tinnitus, and anxiety disorder.,All remaining issues are remanded to further develop evidence.