Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2022

The Veteran's service-connected medication use at least as likely as not caused his death or contributed substantially to it. The Board granted service connection for the cause of death and denied DIC under 38 U.S.C. § 1318.

The Veteran's hypertension with hypertensive heart disease is granted as presumptively related to his service in Thailand, and the PACT Act of 2022 applies. The COPD is denied due to lack of a current diagnosis or causal link to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete adjudication of claims for service connection and accrued benefits, as well as issues related to substitution of claimant. Additional development is needed to complete these matters.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities as due to herbicide exposure. The claims were remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for fatigue is denied as his symptoms are attributed to an already service-connected psychiatric disorder.,For the entire rating period on appeal, the Veteran's CAD did not meet the criteria for a higher than 10 percent rating based on workload of greater than 5 METs but not greater than 7 METs resulting in dyspnea, fatigue, angina, dizziness, or syncope.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development to address the etiology of Bell's palsy, coronary artery disease, hypertension, and service connection for valvular heart disease.

The Board denied service connection for gout, finding no link between the Veteran's current diagnosis and his time in service.,Service connection was also denied for an eye disability claimed as corneal abrasion due to lack of evidence linking it to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disorder, finding that there is no current diagnosis of such condition and that it is less likely than not caused by her service-connected major depressive disorder and unspecified anxiety disorder.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinea pedis and cruris have been withdrawn. The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to a disability rating in excess of 60 percent for BPPV with bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, service connection for sinusitis, and service connection for a heart condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment, and the Board denies his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for heart disorder, hypertension, colon cancer, and scar tissue surgery due to inadequate medical opinions. The VA will obtain additional evidence and provide further examinations.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including bilateral knee and ankle disabilities, acute pancreatitis, heart disability, and colonic polyps, diverticulosis, and irritable bowel syndrome. The reasons given were that the Veteran did not have chronic or recurrent conditions during service or within one year of separation, and there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, type II, and hypertension are granted. The Board finds a remand is necessary to determine the cause or aggravation of his bilateral lower extremity disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death, coronary artery disease, is linked to his military service and grants the DIC claim.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and a heart disability due to incomplete service records, specifically missing STRs from his periods of active duty in January 2003 to December 2003. The Board also requested verification of the dates and character of ACDUTRA or INACDUTRA service.

The Veteran's cause of death was not service-connected, and the Board denied entitlement to nonservice-connected VA death pension benefits and DIC under 38 U.S.C. § 1318.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for lumbar spine, joint aches, left hip, right hip, left knee, right knee, left ankle, right ankle, bilateral foot, psychiatric disorder, mitral valve insufficiency and coronary artery disease, hernia disorder, and dental disorders due to the need for further evidentiary development.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for arteriosclerotic heart disease prior to November 15, 2021 was denied. The Board found that the medical evidence did not meet the criteria for a disability evaluation in excess of 30 percent.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including prostate cancer and ischemic heart disease, do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims of service connection for a bilateral foot disability and heart disability due to insufficient evidence in some areas, including the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.