Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete evidence and need for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and identifying specific in-service exposure.

The Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for service connection and SMC have been remanded due to the need for additional development.,An initial rating in excess of 10 percent for CAD prior to October 15, 2019, is also being remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is about the effective date of his increased rating for arteriosclerotic heart disease and coronary artery disease. The Board has decided to remand this case due to an incomplete record regarding the intent to file a claim.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted due to lack of occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.,The Veteran's CAD is currently rated at 30 percent. The Board found that the evidence does not support a higher rating as his workload did not exceed 7 METs.

The Veteran's service connection claims for memory loss, heart condition, TBI residuals, and various nerve conditions have been granted. The remaining issues of service connection for upper extremity nerves and peripheral neuropathy are remanded.

The Board denied service connection for testicular cancer, heart disability, lung disability, and skin disability due to in-service herbicide exposure. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions began during service or were related to any in-service injury or disease.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for arteriosclerotic heart disease and diabetes mellitus type II due to inadequate opinions in the previous VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertensive retinopathy and a psychiatric disorder, including persistent depressive disorder, as secondary to his heart disability are remanded. The effective date of the award of service connection remains January 5, 2015.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and development of records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for right ear hearing loss and heart disease, as well as his claim for TDIU due to service-connected disability. The VA will obtain additional medical records and provide new opinions on these issues.

The Veteran's claims for increased PTSD rating, service connection for hypertension secondary to PTSD, and service connection for a heart disorder secondary to PTSD are remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's service connection claims for coronary artery disease, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus type 2 are granted due to presumed exposure to herbicides during his service in Guam. These conditions are considered presumptively related to the veteran's exposure.

The Board has remanded the claims due to insufficient evidence and need for further medical evaluation.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to February 6, 2020, for a 100% rating for coronary artery disease is denied as the criteria for such a rating were not met prior to that date.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities from July 1, 2018, except for the period when he was in receipt of a combined 100 percent schedular disability rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU, finding that his service-connected conditions did not render him unemployable prior to August 25, 2005.

The Board has determined that there were errors in the duty to assist and remands the case for further development.

The Veteran's service connection claims for diabetes mellitus type II and hypertension are granted on a presumptive basis under the 2022 PACT Act. The claim for chest condition with pain is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for heart condition, lung cancer, brain condition (claimed as secondary to lung cancer), and neurological disability. The evidence did not support a finding of exposure to herbicide agents or a current diagnosis of coronary artery disease.