Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2022

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for sleep apnea, chronic fatigue, and a heart condition before the Board could make a decision.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, and throat cancer as the Veteran was not exposed to herbicides during his naval service.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for PTSD prior to March 1, 2022 is denied. His claim for TDIU is dismissed as moot due to his concurrent receipt of a 100% schedular disability rating for coronary artery disease and additional disabilities independently ratable at 60 percent or more.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a heart disorder and kidney disorder due to inadequate opinions in the previous VA examinations. The Veteran's atrial fibrillation is being evaluated as secondary to diabetes mellitus type II, and the kidney disorder needs clarification regarding its relationship to diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease (IHD) is being remanded due to the need for additional verification of his claimed exposure to herbicide agents in Korea.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease is granted due to exposure to Agent Orange during his military service in Thailand. The condition was found to be compensably disabling.

The Board denied service connection for a heart disability, finding that the Veteran did not have a current diagnosis of this condition.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's heart disability and its connection to service, specifically herbicide agent exposure. The VA will need to investigate whether the Veteran was exposed to herbicides while working as a fuel specialist at Nellis Air Force Base.

The Veteran's heart disability, specifically ischemic heart disease, is granted a 100 percent rating for the entire period on appeal. Additionally, the Veteran is awarded special monthly compensation (SMC) due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded several service connection claims due to the need for further development and consideration.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart condition, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability and attributing his diagnoses to alternative etiologies. The Board also found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for presumptive service connection due to Agent Orange exposure.

The Veteran's heart disability is rated at 100% disabling, granting a higher rating than previously assigned.

The appeal seeking a disability rating in excess of 60 percent for coronary artery disease (CAD) is dismissed.,Service connection for tinnitus has been granted, with the Veteran's claim being resolved in his favor due to the evidence being in relative equipoise.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is currently rated as noncompensable.,Service connection for a heart disorder, to include ischemic heart disease, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and peripheral vascular disease of the lower extremities remains remanded due to additional evidence needing consideration.

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

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for TDIU and DEA benefits is remanded due to the inextricably intertwined nature with his AMA appeal regarding service connection for CAD.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations regarding his service-connected coronary artery disease and epilepsy.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart condition, finding that there was no evidence of a cardiac event during service and no conclusive studies linking exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune to his current heart condition.

The Veteran's service-connected hypertension, left knee joint osteoarthritis and patellofemoral syndrome, right knee osteoarthritis, left hip trochanteric pain syndrome with thigh impairment, and hypertension are found to meet the criteria for a TDIU due to their combined effect on his ability to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted the Veteran's requests to reopen his claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and back disability. The heart disability claim remains denied.