Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2022

The Veteran's Parkinson's disease, heart disease (to include coronary artery disease), and acquired psychiatric disorder (to include depression and psychosis) are granted as they are presumed to be due to herbicide exposure during service.

The Board has remanded the cases due to VA's failure to obtain a specific Department of the Army letter regarding herbicide use in Korea from 1962 to 1970. The Veteran must be notified and given an opportunity to provide such records.

The Board has remanded the issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability prior to April 5, 2021 due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities. The AOJ is directed to consider referral for extraschedular consideration under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(b).

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart disability, hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol), right shoulder osteoarthritis, diabetes mellitus, type 2, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and bilateral knee disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations.,The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for erectile dysfunction is being remanded due to the need for an examination.

The Board has remanded several issues, including the rating of PTSD and low back disability, as well as service connection for a heart condition. Additional development is needed to obtain non-VA treatment records, ensure adequate VA examinations, and address functional equivalence claims.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection has been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeals for heart disorder, multiple sclerosis, and lung disorder.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ankle disorder, left ankle disorder, coronary artery disease, and hypertension due to inadequate opinions regarding their etiology.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for ischemic heart disease, hypertension, and peripheral neuropathy of the right hand, foot, and leg due to in-service exposure to herbicide agents. The claims are being remanded to determine if the Veteran was exposed to herbicides during his service in Korea.

The Board has granted service connection for peripheral neuropathy affecting both upper and lower extremities as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus, Type II.,Service connection was also granted for non-ischemic heart disease (including congestive heart failure, ventricular arrhythmia, and cardiomyopathy), hypertension, and chronic kidney disease (secondary to service-connected hypertension).

The Veteran's claim for service connection for arteriosclerotic heart disease, status post myocardial infarction, postoperative has been reopened. The case is remanded due to the need for an addendum VA medical opinion regarding the etiology of his heart condition.

The Veteran withdrew his claims for service connection and a compensable rating for the listed conditions, effectively dismissing them.

The Board has determined that the VA contract examiner's opinions are inadequate and internally inconsistent, necessitating further examination and opinion to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to incomplete records and need for further investigation into the Veteran's claimed exposures and service history.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral foot disorders and heart disorder due to in-service exposure to herbicide agents, as well as secondary to service-connected PTSD and/or hypertension. The claims are being returned for additional development.

The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease, finding that the Veteran's long-term smoking habit and exposure to asbestos during military service are at least in approximate balance as a nexus between his condition and service. The other claims of service connection were denied.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to incomplete or inadequate VA examination findings. The Board requires additional examinations and opinions to address the contradictory evidence regarding the severity of his headaches and heart disabilities, as well as the relationship between his OSA and his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to obtain or maintain gainful employment consistent with his educational and occupational background from October 1, 2014 to November 18, 2015.

The Veteran's diabetes and coronary artery disease are due to his in-service exposure to herbicide agents. The peripheral neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities is secondary to his service-connected diabetes. The left ankle arthritis is also secondary to his service-connected fracture left distal tibia and fibula.,Service connection for diabetes, CAD, left ankle arthritis, and bilateral peripheral neuropathy has been granted.

The Veteran is seeking an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for coronary artery disease status post myocardial infarction and coronary artery bypass graft. The Board finds that remand is necessary to consider whether his prior cardiovascular claim reasonably encompassed an informal claim for CAD.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for coronary artery disease was denied as his symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under VA regulations.,Service connection for gout was also denied, with no evidence of its onset during service or within a presumptive period.