Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2022

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of coronary artery disease (CAD) was denied.,The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for CAD from July 1, 2014, was denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection of right ear hearing loss was denied.,A TDIU was granted beginning December 1, 2021.,TDIU prior to December 1, 2021, remains pending.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for right knee disability, right ankle disability, and heart disorder due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his active duty service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type II, and peripheral neuropathy have been denied as his conditions do not meet the criteria for a higher rating under VA's disability evaluation guidelines.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease, anxiety disorder, type II diabetes mellitus with retinopathy, tinnitus, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, and bilateral hearing loss, have rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational experience.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's heart conditions and their relationship to her service-connected disabilities, as well as obesity. The VA must obtain additional evidence and provide further examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart condition as secondary to his service-connected asbestosis, finding that there was no medical evidence supporting this claim and giving more weight to the opinions of VA examiners.

The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus, type II on a presumptive basis due to exposure to herbicides during service in the 12 nautical mile territorial sea of the Republic of Vietnam.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to conflicting medical opinions and insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of his claimed conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed heart disorder, hypertension, diabetes mellitus type II, and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities are not service-connected as they did not manifest during his active duty or within one year post-service. The Veteran was never found to have been in Vietnam for purposes of herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for headaches, hypertension (HTN), a heart condition, and arthritis of the joints, entire body due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The claims are being returned for further development.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient development regarding radiation and military occupational exposures during service, as well as a VA medical opinion on the relationship between CAD and service-connected chest pain and dizziness.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to duty-to-assist errors in obtaining medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus type II and his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's claims for coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, prostate cancer, and prostatitis have been dismissed due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as service-connected due to in-service exposure to herbicide agents. The right knee and left foot disabilities are remanded for further examination, and the chronic heart disability is also remanded.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim for service connection for rhabdomyolysis with kidney failure is granted. The Board also remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including those for kidney disability, BLE nerve disability, bilateral hip disability, heart disorder, SMC-AA/HB, and TDIU.

The Veteran's CAD and type II diabetes mellitus are granted as service-connected due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during active duty in Thailand. The heart disability is related to the presumptive exposure, while diabetes is also linked to this exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination opinions regarding the Veteran's heart disorder, which may be related to service or his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board has remanded the claims of ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to a lack of information regarding whether the Veteran served in Vietnam with the 173rd Airborne unit.

The Veteran's claim for SMC based on the need for aid and attendance or due to being housebound was denied as he does not meet the criteria for either benefit.

The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease on a presumptive basis due to exposure to herbicide agents during the Veteran's active military service in Vietnam.