Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2021

The Board has granted service connection for a heart disorder, finding that the Veteran's current heart condition was caused by his service-connected low back disorder.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart disability, finding that there is no evidence to support a nexus between his current heart condition and his military service.

The Board has remanded the TDIU claim due to procedural developments and new evidence added to the claims file. The Veteran's representative requested that the Board give notice of additional evidence before relying on it, which will be done in the supplemental statement of the case.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating higher than 30 percent for coronary artery disease has been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran prior to a final decision.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for polysubstance abuse, which was secondary to his service-connected PTSD, has been granted. The appeal is dismissed as there is no longer a controversy.

The Board has determined that the May 2012 rating decision is the current appeal, and it remanded for additional development. The Veteran's hypertension was not service-connected at the time of the May 2012 rating decision. The Board also noted that there are issues related to secondary service connection for hypertension due to service-connected coronary artery disease (CAD), peripheral artery disease (PAD), and/or type II diabetes mellitus, as well as potential aggravation by these conditions.

The Board is remanding the case to review the Veteran's exposure to herbicides during service at Korat RTAFB in Thailand, and verify his reports of patrolling the perimeter of the base.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied, and the claim to reopen his ischemic heart disease was also denied. The Veteran's skin cancer claim is denied as there is no current diagnosis of skin cancer. His PTSD rating remains at 50 percent.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, as the Veteran's private treatment records from before 2012 are needed.

The Board has granted service connection for a heart condition, to include coronary artery disease, on a presumptive basis due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during service. Service connection was denied for sleep apnea and testicular cancer.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart condition and TDIU, finding that there was no evidence to support these claims based on his service-connected conditions or exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hypertension and coronary artery disease, both secondary to service-connected obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), due to inadequate opinions in previous examinations. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's initial rating for coronary artery disease (CAD) has been denied as his condition does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's initial rating for Ischemic Heart Disease was denied as his METs level and ejection fraction did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for coronary artery disease has been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Board has dismissed the appeals of the Veteran's claims for service connection due to his death.

The Veteran's service connection claim for ischemic heart disease is granted due to his participation in TDY missions to the Republic of Vietnam, which establishes exposure to herbicides.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the threshold minimum percentage criteria for a schedular TDIU prior to August 14, 2012. The Board referred the issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to August 14, 2012 to the Director of Compensation Service for action in accordance with 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(b).

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral foot disability and remanded the claim for service connection for a chest / heart disability due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has determined that the severance of service connection for prostate cancer and coronary artery disease was improper, and thus restored service connection for both conditions.