Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2022

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 remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and to attempt verification of his deployment in the DMZ. The issues include sleep apnea, heart condition, right hip disability, bilateral knee conditions, acquired psychiatric disorder, low back condition, left shoulder condition, and right shoulder condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted. The Board also finds that the Veteran's heart condition may be related to his in-service exposure to herbicide agents, and a secondary service connection due to PTSD should be considered.

The Board has vacated the April 2022 decision that dismissed the Veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension and cardiovascular conditions, finding that such claims had not been properly addressed. The Board now grants service connection for both conditions as secondary to his service-connected psychiatric condition.

The Veteran's service connection claims for a right eye disorder, heart disability, nasal disability, and left ankle sprain were denied. The heart disability was granted with a 10 percent rating initially, but the claim remains pending as only part of the benefit sought has been granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating increases due to insufficient evidence regarding his exposure to contaminants at Parris Island during active service. A new examination is needed to assess the severity of his knee disabilities, and efforts must be made to obtain private treatment records from an endocrinologist.

The Board has dismissed appeals for a rating in excess of 30 percent for CAD prior to June 10, 2019 and from June 10, 2019 to June 25, 2021, as well as the issue of total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU).

The Veteran is found to be unemployable due to his service-connected Ischemic Heart Disease and Diabetic Neuropathy, which combine to meet the criteria for a TDIU rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease and diabetes, have precluded him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU based on the combined rating of his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's initial ratings for coronary artery bypass graft and PTSD have been granted, with a 60% rating assigned for each condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension is not related to his service-connected coronary artery disease and remanded for further examination. The Veteran's hypertension may be considered presumptively due to herbicide exposure under the PACT Act, but a definitive opinion is needed.

The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disability and a heart disability other than hypertension, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.,There is no evidence of a current ischemic heart disease or coronary artery disease diagnosis in the record.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for updated VA examinations and records to determine his eligibility for financial assistance in purchasing a vehicle, specially adapted housing, and home adaptation grants.

The Board has granted the claim for service connection of coronary artery disease as secondary to service-connected pulmonary fibrosis, finding that the Veteran's coronary artery disease was aggravated by his service-connected pulmonary fibrosis.

The Board has remanded the case due to additional development being required, including obtaining medical records and providing an opinion on whether the Veteran had coronary artery disease (CAD) prior to August 31, 2010.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is granted as service connected.,His heart disease and hypertension are granted as service connected due to exposure to herbicide agents during his Vietnam Era service.

The Veteran's OSA is granted as secondary to his service-connected PTSD. The Board finds that the evidence is evenly balanced as to whether the Veteran's other conditions are related to service, and thus grants them based on this finding.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, PTSD, coronary artery disease, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, and tinnitus, have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU based on these conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a heart disability as a residual of rheumatic fever has been denied due to the absence of a current diagnosis. The Board found that there is no evidence of a current heart disorder, and thus, service connection cannot be established.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation since July 1, 2020.,The Veteran submitted VA Form 21-526 for increased evaluation of heart disease, diabetes, prostate cancer residuals, and varicose veins on May 1, 2020.