Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to incomplete opinions and need for further examination. The Veteran's gastrointestinal disability and heart disability are being reviewed, as they may be related to service-connected hypertension.

Service connection for ischemic heart disease is granted under the PACT Act. Service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease, including coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, and congestive heart failure, is granted as service-connected due to presumed exposure to herbicides during his service in Thailand.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection for coronary artery disease have been remanded due to the need for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of coronary artery disease (CAD) as there was no evidence showing CAD was incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected conditions did not preclude him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment, thus denying a TDIU on both schedular and extraschedular grounds prior to July 13, 2017.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's heart and gastrointestinal disorders, as well as a need for an opinion on whether his obesity is aggravated by his service-connected conditions.

The Board dismissed the claim for service connection of a right shoulder disability as it was not intended by the Veteran.,The Board denied the request to revise or reverse the September 2016 rating decision regarding prostate cancer on grounds of CUE, finding no evidence of duty-to-assist error and that the claim should have been granted at the outset.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for HTN, a heart disability (CAD), peripheral vascular disease (PVD) of the bilateral lower extremities, kidney disability, and PTSD due to potential medical issues and need for further examination.

The Veteran's chest wall scar is granted as secondary to his service-connected ischemic heart disease. The issues of increased ratings for ischemic heart disease and diabetes, and service connection for vision loss due to diabetes are remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is dismissed.,An increased rating of 60 percent, but no higher, for coronary artery disease (CAD) from February 20, 2020, effective January 28, 2021, is granted. The Veteran's CAD has been rated as left ventricular dysfunction with an ejection fraction between 30% and 50%, but not more than that.,The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for surgical scar, mid sternum is denied. His tinnitus claim also does not meet the criteria for an earlier effective date of February 20, 2020.,An initial noncompensable rating for surgical scar, mid sternum is granted from February 20, 2020.

The Veteran's arteriosclerotic heart disease (coronary artery disease) has been rated at a 60 percent disability rating since April 24, 2018. The decision grants the requested initial rating of 60 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted TDIU.

The Board dismissed the claim of service connection for a psychiatric disorder due to the Veteran's withdrawal. The issues of initial compensable rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss, service connection for a respiratory disorder (idiopathic pulmonary hypertension), and service connection for a heart condition are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating for myocardial infarction with related heart conditions has been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Board denied service connection for an eye disorder, prostate cancer, and ischemic heart disease. The Veteran's claims were based on secondary service connection due to exposure to herbicides during active duty, but the evidence did not support a finding of such exposure or a link between his conditions and service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for coronary artery disease, erectile dysfunction as secondary to a heart disorder, and hypertension are granted. The case is remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for heart disability and prostate disability due to incomplete records, including a lack of STRs from his Army Reserve and National Guard service. The AOJ is instructed to verify any in-service herbicide exposure allegations, obtain all relevant medical treatment records, and request authorization for non-VA medical providers.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ankle disability and heart disability (mitral valve prolapse), finding no evidence of a current disability or in-service injury that is related to service.

The Veteran's death was not due to his service-connected conditions, and the claim for DIC under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 is denied.