Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's heart disorder, including his exposure to smoke from SOSUS printers and service connection for ischemic heart disease on a presumptive basis.

The Board denied service connection for a heart disability and hypertension as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD, major depressive disorder, and panic disorders with agoraphobia. The VA examiner concluded that there is no causal relationship between these conditions.

The Board has granted the reopening of the Veteran's claims for service connection for multiple sclerosis, hypertension, and ischemic heart disease. The claims are remanded to determine if there is a medical nexus between these conditions and herbicide exposure during service.

The Veteran's non-obstructive coronary artery disease is presumed to be related to his service in Vietnam due to herbicide exposure, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type 2, an eye disability (including proliferative diabetic retinopathy), a heart disability, and erectile dysfunction have been reopened. Service connection has been granted for all issues.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to October 15, 2004 for the grant of service connection for coronary artery disease was denied.,The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 30 percent for residuals of stroke characterized by hemiparesis of the left upper extremity was denied.,The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for bilateral proliferative diabetic retinopathy was granted with a 30% disability rating.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for coronary artery disease is being remanded due to the need for updated VA treatment records and additional medical evidence.

The Board has granted an effective date of January 14, 2001 for the award of service connection for CAD. The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent for CAD from January 29, 2015 is remanded due to conflicting opinions and the need to consider evidence regarding unemployability.

The Veteran's service connection claims for coronary artery disease, non-ischemic heart disorder secondary to lung cancer, and restrictive lung disease secondary to lung cancer have been granted. Service connection for hypertension has not been established due to overlap with other conditions.,Service connection is granted for coronary artery disease as it falls under the presumptive exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam. Secondary service connection is granted for non-ischemic heart disorder and restrictive lung disease, both secondary to service-connected lung cancer.

The Board has denied service connection for ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, kidney condition, diabetic neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, and eye condition. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to active service or exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disorder, including sinus arrhythmia, finding no evidence of ischemic heart disease or other chronic heart condition during or after service. The Veteran's claimed sinus arrhythmia was noted on his separation examination but not shown to be related to service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development to verify the Veteran's claimed herbicide exposure while stationed at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base in Thailand.

The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease (CAD) due to exposure to herbicide agents while serving at Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus, CAD, hypertension, CVA, seizures, left arm disability, right arm disability, right eye disability, tinnitus, sleep disorder, gastrointestinal disability, scars, and an acquired psychiatric disability. The evidence did not establish a nexus between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.

The Board has granted service connection for ischemic heart disease and prostate cancer, both presumed to be due to herbicide exposure during the Veteran's active duty in Korea.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus. The cases of hypertension and ischemic heart disease are remanded due to the need for a medical opinion regarding their relationship to the Veteran's diabetes mellitus.

The Board denied service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, hypertension with headaches, skin cancer on shoulders, back and face, bilateral eye disability (cataracts and diabetic retinopathy), peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, porphyria cutanea tarda, and coronary artery disease. The reasons were that there was no evidence to support these conditions being related to service.

The Veteran's initial claim for an increased evaluation for ischemic heart disease prior to March 24, 2016 was denied. The Board found that the preponderance of evidence did not show a METs level less than 7-10.,For the period beginning March 24, 2016, the Veteran's entitlement to a TDIU was granted due to his ischemic heart disease.

The Veteran's service connection claims for ischemic heart disease and type II diabetes mellitus are granted due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during his active duty.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to December 23, 2019.