Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2022

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection and SMC based on housebound status and aid and attendance due to incomplete development. The case will be returned to the AOJ for additional development, including obtaining SSA disability benefits records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection and increased rating have been dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions have been granted. The Board found that the evidence supported direct service connection for most of the claimed conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection of a heart disability, claimed as blockages of the arteries, and denied his increased rating claims for cervical spine, asthma, and lumbosacral spine conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his severe peripheral neuropathy and vascular disease affecting his lower extremities, have resulted in a loss of use of both lower extremities. The Board has determined that the Veteran is eligible for specially adapted housing due to these conditions but not for special home adaptation or adaptive equipment.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and coronary artery disease have been rated, but the issue of TDIU prior to November 16, 2021 is inextricably intertwined with the PTSD evaluation. The PTSD claim must be resolved first.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and opinion regarding service connection for IHD, CAD, a heart condition, arrhythmia, and HTN due to potential herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's service connection claims for coronary artery disease, type II diabetes mellitus, and hypertension have been granted. The Board has also remanded the issues of service connection for erectile dysfunction and peripheral neuropathy due to lack of medical evidence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to duty-to-assist errors and for determining exposure to herbicides or pesticides during service. The issues of diabetes mellitus type II, ischemic heart disease, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia are being reviewed again.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding exposure to herbicide agents and the need for a VA medical opinion.

The Board dismissed the appellant's appeals regarding entitlement to higher evaluations for PTSD and peripheral neuropathy of both lower extremities, as well as earlier effective dates for service connection. The Veteran's disabilities were found not to warrant such adjustments.,The Board also denied the appellant's claims for special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance prior to February 28, 2014, and an increased level of SMC based on need for regular aid and attendance.

The Veteran's child had various birth defects, but did not have spina bifida. The mother was not a Vietnam veteran and thus the Veteran is not eligible for benefits under 38 U.S.C. �� 1805 or 1815.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as presumptively related to his exposure to herbicides while serving in the Republic of Vietnam. The heart disability issue remains pending and will be remanded for further examination.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to higher ratings for various service-connected conditions, including coronary artery disease and peripheral neuropathy. The Veteran's appeal is not about service connection but rather about the appropriate disability rating.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease resulted in dyspnea, fatigue, angina, and dizziness at a workload of less than 3 METs throughout the appeal period. The Board granted an initial 100 percent disability rating for this condition.

The Board denied service connection for a heart disorder due to herbicide exposure, as the evidence did not show that the Veteran had a heart disorder related to in-service herbicide exposure.

The Board denied the claim of service connection for cause of death, finding that there is no evidence linking the Veteran's cardiac arrythmia and hypertensive heart disease to his active service or any service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's cyst on the back, diagnosed as a benign lipoma, is not service-connected due to lack of evidence linking it to his active duty service.,The Veteran's heart disability, consisting of mild aortic calcification and mitral valve incompetence, is also not service-connected because there is no medical evidence showing its onset during or related to his military service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for heart disability and hypertension, but has remanded them for further development including a VA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease and malignant melanoma, finding that the Veteran's exposure to tactical herbicide agents during his service in Thailand is presumed. The decision also acknowledges the Appellant's claims of exposure to Agent Orange.