Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to missing VA medical records and an opinion regarding the Veteran's service-connected conditions and their impact on his ability to use aids such as a walker.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including bilateral hearing loss, heart disability, neurological disabilities of the upper and lower extremities, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, and PTSD. Additional medical opinions are needed regarding the relationship between these conditions and service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for ischemic heart disease and residuals of lung cancer have been granted due to their association with exposure to herbicide agents during service.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus type II, coronary artery disease (CAD), erectile dysfunction, and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities due to incomplete medical opinions and potential outstanding VA treatment records.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to determine the relationship between the Veteran's claimed conditions and his military service, particularly regarding herbicide exposure.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for continued Chapter 31 VR&E services due to the severity of his service-connected physical and mental disabilities, which rendered achievement of a vocational goal not feasible.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type II, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus, prevent him from establishing and maintaining substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for TDIU prior to May 2, 2011 due to a lack of evidence showing that his service-connected disabilities precluded him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The appeal of the issues related to a staple floating in the chest, a heart condition, and a defective artery has been dismissed due to the Veteran's passing.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for residuals of prostate cancer has been dismissed as the claim was granted in a recent rating decision. The appeals for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, skin disability (alopecia), heart disability, right foot disability, and left foot disability are all remanded.

The Veteran's cause of death, cardiorespiratory arrest, was not related to his military service or any service-connected condition. The Board found no evidence that the Veteran's fracture contributed to his death and there were no post-service records of IHD.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for coronary artery disease was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating under either the old or new criteria.

The Board has granted service connection for ischemic heart disease and lung cancer, both presumed to be related to herbicide agent exposure during the Vietnam era.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent prior to December 17, 2019. His service-connected heart and respiratory disabilities are remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including coronary artery disease and congestive heart failure (cardiac disorder), lumbar spine disorders, hip disorders, and knee disorders. The Board found that the current diagnoses were not related to service.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for an effective date earlier than October 5, 2014 for the grant of service connection for coronary artery disease (CAD) status post myocardial infarction. The claim of entitlement to a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is withdrawn. The case is remanded for issuance of a Statement of the Case on the issue of an earlier effective date for a higher disability evaluation of coronary artery disease.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate compliance with previous remand directives and a need for another VA medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's heart disability, specifically whether in-service chest pain is related to current CAD diagnosis.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and coronary artery disease (CAD) are granted. The PACT Act has added hypertension to the list of diseases presumed service-connected in veterans exposed to herbicide agents, including Agent Orange exposure during service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and coronary artery disease (CAD) are granted. The PACT Act has added hypertension to the list of diseases presumed service-connected in veterans exposed to herbicide agents, including Agent Orange exposure during service.

The Board has determined that the VA Centralized Eligibility and Appeals Team (CEAT) decision denying eligibility for PCAFC benefits was inadequate, and thus remanded for further review.