Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2020

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection and increased ratings for ischemic heart disease and diabetes, finding that she did not qualify as a child for substitution or accrued benefits purposes.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and burial benefits due to incomplete development. The Veteran's exposure history, including chemical, radiation, and herbicide exposures, needs to be verified.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to obtain medical records from Dr. Monahan and a legible copy of the December 2018 correspondence from Dr. Drummond, before these claims can be adjudicated.

The Veteran's appeal includes multiple issues related to his service-connected conditions, including heart disorder, various types of peripheral neuropathy, and PTSD. The Board has determined that additional development is needed due to incomplete VA treatment records.

The Veteran's service connection claim for coronary artery disease, due to exposure to herbicides including Agent Orange, is granted.

The Veteran is granted a total 100% disability rating for heart disease beginning July 12, 2012.,The claim for an increased initial evaluation greater than 30 percent for heart disease from July 29, 2011 to July 11, 2012 is denied.,The Veteran's claim for a higher initial evaluation of his heart disease from October 20, 2006 to July 28, 2011 remains denied.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease is related to in-service exposure to herbicide agents.,Left foot frostbite residuals are at least as likely as not related to service.,Right foot frostbite residuals are at least as likely as not related to service.,Right hand frostbite residuals are at least as likely as not related to service.,Left hand frostbite residuals are at least as likely as not related to service.,The Veteran's hypertension is presumed to be due to herbicide agent exposure during service.,COPD, emphysema, and asthma are presumed to be due to herbicide agent exposure during service.,Diverticulitis with colon polyps are at least as likely as not related to service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to inadequate prior examination.,Service connection is denied for hearing loss and heart condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to VA's failure to obtain certain cardiology-related records, including external progress notes and imaging from July 2017. The AOJ is instructed to obtain these records or notify the Veteran if further efforts will not be fruitful.

The Board has denied service connection for chloracne, ischemic heart disease, and diabetes mellitus type II due to herbicide agent exposure. The issues of service connection for these conditions are remanded.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to address the Veteran's claimed herbicide exposure and to determine if he had any service connection claims pending at the time of his death. The cause of death claim will be remanded for further development, including obtaining records from non-VA providers and verifying the Veteran’s alleged exposure.

The Board denied service connection for coronary artery disease and hypertension, finding that the conditions did not onset during or as a result of active duty from July 1974 to July 1978 or manifest within one year thereafter. The Veteran's preexisting conditions were found to have been aggravated by his INACDUTRA/ADSW period in September 2001-September 2002, but the Board concluded that this aggravation was not beyond its natural progression.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of bilateral hearing loss has been granted, effective August 14, 2018.,Service connection for ischemic heart disease is granted based on new evidence.

The Board has determined that the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a heart condition, and a scar from heart surgery are inextricably intertwined due to the overlap between PTSD and the other conditions. As such, these issues have been remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a heart condition due to incomplete information from previous examinations and treatment records.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for coronary artery disease, bilateral tinnitus, right and left knee disabilities, and sleep condition (PTSD-related). The claim for PTSD remains pending.

The Board has denied service connection for diabetes, heart disorder, Parkinson's disease, thyroid disorder, arthritis, and sinusitis as there is no evidence of these conditions during or within one year after service. The Veteran did not provide any medical evidence to support his claims.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease was denied, but his claim for PTSD and the right shoulder disability were granted. The rating for the right shoulder condition is also granted.

Service connection for bilateral tinnitus is granted.,The Veteran's right lower extremity scar is not rated higher than 10 percent, as the evidence does not support a finding of instability or pain.

The Board has determined that the appellant does not have a current diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, type II or ischemic heart disease and therefore denied service connection for these conditions.