Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2021

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's periods of active duty, including ACDUTRA and INACDUTRA. The AOJ must obtain complete service treatment records and verify the nature of the totality of the Veteran's service, including dates of all periods of active duty. After completing this development, a VA opinion is needed to determine the etiology and dates of onset of his heart disorders.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart disability, including hypertension, a heart murmur, and Mobitz type I second degree atrioventricular block. The evidence did not show that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by active service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful employment for the rating period from February 14, 2014 through September 16, 2014. For the rating period from September 17, 2014 to July 17, 2017, there is no longer a case or controversy with respect to TDIU due to his receipt of a 100% combined schedular rating. For the rating period from July 18, 2017, the Veteran's PTSD does not meet the requisite rating alone to support a TDIU.

The Board has ordered a remand for further examination to determine if the Veteran's heart disabilities are related to his service, including exposure to burn pits.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a heart disorder and hypertension due to inadequate opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran is seeking service connection based on direct service connection, while also suggesting possible secondary or aggravation service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease with diabetes mellitus type II, PTSD, nephropathy with hypertension, and other conditions, require the aid and attendance of another person. The Board has granted special monthly compensation at the R-1 rate.

The Board has denied service connection for GERD, TBI, headaches, bilateral knee disability, back disability, left shoulder disability, and heart disability due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service. The claims are remanded for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's coronary artery disease is related to service, specifically presumed asbestos exposure. The VA needs to obtain private treatment records and schedule a VA examination for an opinion on this issue.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence and a need for additional VA examination with METs testing.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diagnosed heart conditions, which are not ischemic heart diseases, were not manifest during active service and are not shown to be causally or etiologically related to an in-service event, injury, or disease.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied, and the issue of service connection for a heart condition (CAD) is remanded due to insufficient consideration of herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's right ankle disability, bilateral hearing loss, diabetes mellitus, heart disorder, thyroid disorder, cirrhosis of the liver, and esophageal varices are all remanded for further development. The issues include service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to new evidence submitted by the Appellant and a need for an addendum opinion regarding the Veteran's COPD. The Nehmer review of the Veteran's file is also required.

The Veteran's PTSD and IHD were not rated higher than the current levels, with some issues needing further evaluation. The hearing loss issue was also remanded.

The Veteran's claims for kidney disability, heart disability, and hypertension have been dismissed due to their death.

The Board has remanded the issue of entitlement to service connection for ischemic heart disease (IHD) due to a lack of sufficient rationale in the VA opinion regarding whether IHD was caused or aggravated by service-connected disabilities, specifically hypertension and/or heart murmur.

The Veteran did not serve in Vietnam and therefore is not a Nehmer class member, making retroactive benefits for ischemic heart disease ineligible.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to May 22, 2020 for service connection of various conditions secondary to his service-connected hypertension.

The Board denied the Appellant's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of the Veteran's cause of death, finding that October 1, 2013 is the proper effective date. The decision was based on the fact that the Appellant did not perfect her appeal within the required timeframes.

The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for a bicuspid aortic valve condition, which is currently in effect due to hypertension. The remand requires an examination to determine if the Veteran's service-connected hypertension resulted in a superimposed disease or injury to his bicuspid aortic valve.