Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2022

The Veteran's death was caused by his service-connected ischemic heart disease and diabetes, which are presumed to be related to herbicide agent exposure. The Board granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disorder, finding no direct relationship to his military service and rejecting any presumption of herbicide exposure. The Veteran's private cardiology records suggest possible secondary relationships but these opinions are not probative enough to establish service connection.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed conditions and their relationship to his military service, including exposure to herbicides. The Veteran contends that he had a layover in the Republic of Vietnam (RVN) while enroute to his assignment, but there is no concrete evidence confirming this claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for ischemic heart disease, prostate cancer, and erectile dysfunction due to a lack of evidence supporting herbicide or chemical exposure during his active duty in Korea.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the appellant's alleged service in Vietnam. The claim will be further developed to confirm any potential periods of active duty or ACDUTRA that may have occurred.

The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is granted as secondary to service-connected PTSD.,The Veteran's hypertension is granted due to presumed herbicide exposure during service.,The Veteran's coronary artery disease (ischemic heart disease) is granted an initial disability evaluation of 60 percent, effective April 25, 2017.,The Veteran's atrial fibrillation with implanted cardiac pacemaker associated with coronary artery disease is granted an initial disability evaluation of 30 percent, effective April 25, 2018.

The Veteran's diabetes, hypertension, and retinopathy are granted as service connected due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents. The hearing loss claim is remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's initial claim for a compensable rating for his heart disability was denied, and the appeal period from September 19, 2007 to September 8, 2021 (with the exception of the period of temporary total disability due to CABG surgery) resulted in denial as well.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been added to the record since the last final denial, allowing for a readjudication of the service connection claim for ischemic heart disease. The Veteran's exposure to Agent Orange during his service in Thailand is presumed, leading to the grant of service connection.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected coronary artery disease (CAD) is denied. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a rating in excess of 30 percent. For the TDIU claim, the Board has jurisdiction due to the inferred claim and finds that the criteria are not met as the Veteran's CAD alone did not preclude him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the case due to uncertainty about whether the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents while aboard the USS Wilhoite, which may affect his claim for service connection for the cause of his death.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart disability and gastrointestinal disability due to incomplete service treatment records and inadequate medical opinions.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 60 percent for coronary artery disease, for accrued purposes, is denied.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability other than stooped posture/abnormal spine contour associated with Parkinson's disease with right upper extremity weakness and for a sinus disability, both for accrued purposes, are remanded due to incomplete VA examination reports and lack of consideration of the Veteran's statements regarding his symptoms.,The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for Parkinson's disease with right upper extremity weakness, for accrued purposes, is remanded due to incomplete VA examination reports and lack of consideration of the Veteran's statements regarding his symptoms.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for a VA examiner to provide an opinion regarding his heart disability since April 2016.

The Veteran's CAD was rated at 60 percent from February 28, 2007, to March 25, 2008.,The Veteran's CAD was rated at 30 percent from March 26, 2008, to April 12, 2010.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, type II, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy are all presumed to have resulted from his in-service exposure to herbicide agents. The Board granted service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for heart disability, diabetes mellitus type II, and CAD have been granted on a presumptive basis due to herbicide agent exposure.,Service connection has also been granted for peripheral neuropathy and erectile dysfunction. The respiratory disability claim remains pending.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, right hand disorder, left hand disorder, right foot disorder, and left foot disorder. The issues of service connection for gout, hypertension, and heart disorder are remanded due to incomplete records.

The Board denied service connection for Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) and Hypertension, finding that the evidence did not support a link to service or any other compensable factor.

The Board has remanded the claims for coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, and an eye disorder due to new evidence. The Veteran's left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy claim is denied as there is no earlier effective date prior to November 7, 2017.