Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2021

The Board has determined that the VA Regional Office (RO) did not obtain necessary medical examinations to determine if the Veteran has ischemic heart disease and if any skin condition is due to exposure to herbicide agents. The case is being remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's appeals for a higher rating for his cardiovascular disease and TDIU are being remanded due to the need to obtain additional private treatment records from Dr. Preston.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to September 27, 2019 is being remanded due to the need for additional development and consideration of his service-connected conditions.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's coronary artery disease is service connected. The remaining issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, eye disabilities, back disability, and foot disabilities are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for coronary artery disease was denied as the evidence did not show chronic congestive heart failure, a workload of 3 METs or less resulting in dyspnea, fatigue, angina, dizziness, or syncope, or a left ventricular ejection fraction of 30 percent or less.

The Veteran's death triggered the appellant's right to file a claim as a substituted claimant for his service-connected coronary artery disease. The Board has found that her January 2015 statement constituted a timely Notice of Disagreement (NOD) regarding the initial rating assigned for CAD, and thus the appeal is remanded for further action.

The Board has dismissed all service connection claims due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to their death, and the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding when the Veteran's Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) began, and requests an addendum opinion from a VA examiner.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection of a heart condition due to new and material evidence. However, the claim is being remanded as there are insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's heart condition is related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for PTSD was denied, as the severity of his symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,The Veteran's appeal for TDIU was also denied because his combined service-connected disability rating is at least 70%, meeting the schedular requirements for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus, type II. Service connection is also remanded for hypertension.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding service connection for a heart condition. The Veteran's ischemic heart disease is presumed linked to herbicide agent exposure during service in Korea, but there are questions about whether he had chloracne or other conditions related to herbicide exposure. Additional development is needed on herbicide exposure and potential radiation exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's additional disability was caused or aggravated by VA's referral for a MAZE procedure, and if so, whether such additional disability was reasonably foreseeable as an ordinary risk of the treatment.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disability, finding that there was insufficient evidence to support the presence of such a condition during the pendency of his appeal.

The Board has remanded the case due to failure to obtain private treatment records from C.J., M.D. dated between 2004 and 2010, located in Ossining, New York.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disability has been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The cases of PTSD, heart disability, and hematoma on brain are all remanded for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for hepatitis C, diabetes mellitus, diabetic nephropathy, and coronary artery disease due to insufficient information in the service treatment records regarding these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is dismissed due to the death of the appellant, and no service connection issues are addressed.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to concerns about the competency of the VA examiner.