Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2022

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for basal cell carcinoma, heart disability, prostate cancer, and left hip osteopenia as secondary to prostate cancer. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions began during service or were related to in-service exposure.

The Veteran's hypertension, heart disability, and lumbar spine disability are granted service connection due to herbicide exposure. The right ear hearing loss and cervical spine disability claims are denied.

The Board has remanded the cases for further examination to address the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed heart disability, coronary artery disease, and costochondritis.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for PTSD is denied, and the appeal for a higher rating for IHD is dismissed as there remains no case or controversy.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability.,The Veteran did not have qualifying wartime service, and thus does not meet the requirements for nonservice-connected death pension benefits.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right and left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, as well as right and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, were denied. The Veteran also had his claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for post CABG IHD from April 20, 2019 to August 12, 2019 denied.,The evidence did not show more than mild incomplete paralysis of the radial and popliteal nerves at any time during the period on appeal.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, and his TDIU claims from June 20, 2012 to August 1, 2012 are moot. His TDIU claim from August 2, 2012 through November 30, 2019 was denied.

The Veteran's appeals for disability rating and service connection were dismissed due to his death. The Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of these claims as he died during the appeal process.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of coronary artery disease with coronary atherosclerosis was denied as there is no legal basis to assign such prior to April 25, 2017.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient verification of the Veteran's exposure to Agent Orange herbicides in Korea and a need for medical opinions regarding his cause of death.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for heart, left shoulder, and lung disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions in previous examinations. The Veteran's lay statements regarding his symptoms are not considered.

The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's cause of death, finding that his heart conditions were not related to service, including any exposure to chemicals.

The Veteran's TDIU claim for the period prior to January 19, 2011 is granted as his service-connected disabilities were sufficiently incapacitating to prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that the current medical opinions are inadequate to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's diagnosed heart conditions. The case is therefore being remanded for an addendum opinion from a clinician who has not previously provided an opinion in this case.

Your claim for service connection for a heart disability has been granted, and you are now receiving a 60% evaluation. The appeal is dismissed as the issue of service connection has already been resolved.

The Veteran's carcinoma of the larynx, heart disability (including IHD, PVD, and dyslipidemia), and diabetes mellitus type II are granted as service connected due to herbicide exposure during his service in Thailand.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and heart disorders as secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine disorder due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disorder including left bundle branch block, finding that there was no evidence of such condition during or immediately after active duty and no continuity of symptoms since separation. The Board also found that the current diagnosis did not meet the criteria for secondary service connection due to his service-connected obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for heart disease, prostate cancer, and diabetes mellitus as secondary to herbicide exposure due to his death.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error in the initial opinion regarding his employability.