Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2021

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (CAD and PTSD) have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, warranting a TDIU.

The Board denied service connection for heart disorder and seizures, finding no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides or other conditions that would support direct service connection.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a heart disability, hypertension, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) due to incomplete records. Additional VA examinations are needed to consider the Veteran's periods of Guard/Reserve Active Service.

The Board has granted service connection and secondary service connection for various conditions, including type II diabetes mellitus, kidney disease, coronary artery disease, diabetic retinopathy, depressive and anxiety disorders with insomnia, chronic anemia, and GERD. The effective dates are not specified as the appeal is based on reopening of previously denied claims.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted for lumbar and heart disabilities, bilateral hearing loss disability. The remaining claims were denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to non-compliance with previous remand instructions, and additional development is needed including obtaining workers' compensation records.

The Veteran's hypertension, psychiatric disability (anxiety disorder and depressive disorder), hyperlipidemia or dyslipidemia (high cholesterol), diabetes mellitus, heart disability, and heat exhaustion residuals were not shown to have originated during active service.,Service connection for these conditions was denied as the evidence did not establish a relationship between the disabilities and active service.

The Board has vacated its previous decision denying service connection for sleep apnea, secondary to coronary artery disease and atrial fibrillation. The case is now remanded for further review.

The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease, internal bleeding, and anemia. However, the claims for temporary blindness and thyroid disorder have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unemployable prior to December 24, 2019.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and related conditions are all granted as secondary to his service-connected psychiatric disability. The specific diagnoses of sleep apnea, left shoulder rotator cuff tear, heart disease, migraines, and foot disabilities are also granted.

The Board has granted service connection for a bilateral foot disability, including hallux valgus and pes planus. Service connection was denied for coronary artery disease (CAD).

The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions including right knee injury, heart disease, reflux, PTSD, diabetes type II, neck injury, and hypertension as there was no evidence of a current disability or a nexus to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA medical opinions regarding the Veteran's service-connected disabilities prior to September 6, 2017. The case is now pending for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a seizure disorder, stroke, and heart condition as secondary to his service-connected OCD. The claims are being remanded for further development including VA examinations.

The Veteran's claim to reopen entitlement to service connection for a low back disability has been granted. The issues of entitlement to service connection for various other conditions have also been remanded.

The Veteran's claim of a rating in excess of 30 percent for coronary artery disease prior to August 19, 2019 is being remanded due to the death of the appellant.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including chest pain, genitourinary issues, right shoulder injury, headache, and dizziness/blackouts, finding that the preponderance of evidence did not support a link to service.

The Veteran's service connection for a respiratory disorder, to include COPD, was denied. The rating in excess of 10 percent for ischemic heart disease and the scar from coronary surgery associated with ischemic heart disease were also denied. Additionally, the Board found that there was no evidence to support an earlier effective date for TDIU prior to May 19, 2010.

The Board has granted a TDIU on an extra-schedular basis due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and coronary artery disease, which prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.