Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2021

The Veteran's heart disease was not incurred in service and is not related to exposure to contaminated water at Camp LeJeune.,The liver disease was likely caused by the use of statin medications, specifically Zocor and Niacin SR, which are hepatotoxic. The VA medical personnel were not negligent or careless in managing these medications.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a tremor disorder and dry mouth, as well as an increased rating for right fibula fracture with traumatic arthritis, right ankle with scar.,No effective date is assigned in this decision.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination. The Veteran's claim for TDIU is also being referred for extraschedular consideration.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension and ischemic heart disease, finding that the Veteran did not have a current diagnosis of these conditions and that any pre-existing conditions were not related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development to verify the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents at Fort Gordon and to obtain an opinion regarding whether his heart condition constitutes ischemic heart disease.

The Veteran's appeals have been dismissed as the Appellant has withdrawn her appeal.

The Board has remanded the cases of entitlement to service connection for a seizure disorder and coronary artery disease due to insufficient opinions regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's claim for additional special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for a higher level of care at the rate specified under 38 U.S.C. § 1114 (r)(1) or (r)(2) was denied because he did not meet the criteria for SMC at any of the rates provided, including those for regular aid and attendance due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease, finding that there was no evidence showing it was incurred or aggravated by active duty service.

The Board has remanded the claims for ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus type II, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities due to deficiencies in a previous VA opinion. The Veteran's service records show exposure to DDT powder in 1948, but no human health effects from low environmental doses are known.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for coronary artery disease, ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of both arms and legs, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and bilateral hearing loss have been granted. The appeal for service connection for hypertension is remanded.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, but has remanded the claims for diabetes and CAD due to a lack of in-service exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disorder including bradycardia and Ischemic Heart Disease, but remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions. The claims for headaches and tinnitus are also remanded due to their inextricable link with the heart disorder.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease and diabetes with peripheral neuropathy of all extremities, rendered him unable to follow substantially gainful employment from March 29, 2012 to June 19, 2013. Prior to that date, he did not meet the schedular criteria for TDIU.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development and consideration of his claims, including a VA examination to assess the current severity of his ischemic heart disease.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart condition and sleep apnea, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his active duty service.,There is no medical opinion in the record linking the Veteran’s current heart conditions or sleep apnea to his active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating of 100% for service-connected coronary artery disease (CAD) is denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a 100% rating, as there was no chronic congestive heart failure, workload of 3 METs or less resulting in dyspnea, fatigue, angina, dizziness, or syncope, or left ventricular dysfunction with an ejection fraction of less than 30 percent.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for heart disability, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of left upper extremity, and peripheral neuropathy of right upper extremity. The Board found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to service or secondary to a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not result in loss of use of one or both feet, which is a requirement for financial assistance for automobile or other conveyance and adaptive equipment. The Board denied the claim as the evidence does not support actual loss of use.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, but the Board denied a higher rating. The Veteran was also granted TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.