Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to outstanding VA and Social Security Administration records, as well as for medical opinions on various issues.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's heart disability is likely related to his service, and thus grants the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to his active duty service. The right foot, RUEPN, LUEPN, RLEPN, LLEPN, left hip, right hip, right CTS, left CTS, right hip scar, lumbar spine, CAD, left knee, right knee, hypertension, and ED conditions are not found to be related to his active duty service. The Veteran's Hepatitis C is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or residuals associated with the condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including lumbar spine disability, right ankle disability, bilateral knee disability, erectile dysfunction, and heart disability. The claims were not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The claims for bilateral hand disability, right hand disability, heart disability, stroke, and blood clots are remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has not received a proper medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's headaches are caused or aggravated by his service-connected coronary artery disease. The case is being remanded to obtain an addendum from a VA examiner.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed heart condition, including considering his service in Iraq. The case is being remanded for further action.

The Board has remanded the case for a Statement of the Case regarding entitlement to a rating greater than 60 percent for coronary artery disease (CAD) from January 1, 2010 to February 17, 2022 and entitlement to a total disability based upon individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to February 18, 2022.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's in-service pneumonitis and his current heart conditions. The Veteran is asked to provide any relevant pre-2004 treatment records, and a new VA medical opinion must be obtained.

The Veteran's appeal is dismissed as the Board lacks jurisdiction to consider his claims for earlier effective dates and service connection due to a request under the Appeals Modernization Act (AMA).

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, ischemic heart disease, retinopathy of the left eye as secondary to diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities as secondary to diabetes mellitus. The appeal regarding service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities is remanded.

The Veteran's heart disorder, status post myocardial infarction, is related to his service-connected hypertension and has been granted service connection. A temporary total rating based on the need for convalescence following heart surgery procedures has also been granted.

An effective date of December 26, 2017 has been granted for the grant of service connection for PTSD. The Veteran is now rated at a 70 percent disability rating for PTSD since June 7, 2022.,The initial disability rating for CAD remains denied.

The Veteran's service connection claims for coronary heart disease, prostate cancer, and bladder cancer are granted as these conditions are presumed related to herbicide exposure during his active military service in Thailand.

The Board denied the Veteran's petition to readjudicate his claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease as there was no new and relevant evidence received since the last denial in 2015.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart condition, finding that his conditions were not related to service or any other etiology.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the reduction of his disability evaluation for service-connected coronary artery disease from 60 percent to 30 percent, effective April 1, 2019.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied as he was not found to be unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for a CV disorder is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding his heart disabilities and their relationship to his service-connected hypothyroidism.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for an effective date earlier than February 18, 2022 for the grant of a 100 percent rating for coronary artery disease and entitlement to a TDIU due to administrative errors. The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for left ankle fracture is dismissed.