Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2022

The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type II, and laryngeal cancer as due to in-service exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type II, and Parkinson's disease due to herbicide exposure during service.

The Veteran's service connection claim for erectile dysfunction is granted. The claims for renal dysfunction, peripheral neuropathy of the left and right lower extremities, and hypertensive heart disease are remanded.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his service connection claim for PTSD is granted. The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a heart condition, and obstructive sleep apnea due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to fully and fairly consider the Veteran's claims, including service connection for his heart disorder, skin rash on hands, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of lower extremities, and acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD). The appeal will be remanded to allow for further development.

The Veteran's bronchial asthma is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has found that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,For his bilateral hearing loss disability, the Board has ordered additional medical opinions to address whether delayed onset hearing loss is attributable to service.

The Veteran's heart disability and diabetes mellitus were denied service connection as they did not manifest during active duty or within one year of separation, and there is no evidence linking them to service.,The Veteran's current diagnoses of heart disease and diabetes mellitus are not related to his military service. The Board found that the conditions predated his service and were not caused by any in-service events.

Service connection is granted for residuals of prostate cancer and heart condition (including an old inferior myocardial infarction).,The Veteran's kidney cancer claim is remanded as additional medical records are needed to determine the relationship between his service-connected conditions and his current health issues.

The Veteran's GERD is granted as it is proximately due to his service-connected left foot disability.,The Veteran's hypertension and heart disabilities (CAD and AFIB) are granted as they are related to his in-service ionizing radiation exposure.

The Board dismissed the claims for service connection for anemia and heart disorder associated with dizziness and chest pain.,The Board denied the claim for service connection for hypertension, as it was not incurred or aggravated during a period of active duty.

The Board has withdrawn the issues of service connection for chloracne, effective date prior to February 28, 2013, for a 20 percent rating for diabetes mellitus, and increased ratings for erectile dysfunction (ED), coronary artery disease (CAD) with myocardial infarction (MI) and status post coronary bypass surgery, acne vulgaris with scarring, and DM. The issues of initial compensable ratings for peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity (LUE), right (major) upper extremity (RUE), left (minor) lower extremity (LLE), and right lower extremity (RLE) have been remanded.

The Veteran's supraventricular arrhythmia with valvular heart disease and atrial fibrillation is related to military service, and the Board has granted service connection for these conditions. The thyroid condition (hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism) is remanded to determine if it was caused or aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected heart disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for ischemic heart disease as the Veteran did not serve in Vietnam and there is no evidence of herbicide exposure. The current coronary artery disease was not shown to have started during service or be related to any in-service injury, event, or disease.

The Veteran's TBI, tinnitus, and heart disease have been granted service connection.,Residuals of a head injury sustained during military training are considered to be the cause of the Veteran's current TBI.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether any diagnosed heart disability is related to service, including exposure to herbicide agents. The Veteran will need a VA examination to determine this.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for additional medical records and a more adequate opinion regarding the Veteran's coronary artery disease.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disability, to include as secondary to diabetes mellitus, is denied.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for hemorrhoids prior to February 15, 2019 and a rating of 20 percent thereafter is granted.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbar strain (a back disability) is denied.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for diabetes mellitus is remanded.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for right and left ankle disabilities are remanded.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a peripheral nerve condition secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus or lumbar strain is remanded.

The Veteran was granted service connection for ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus type II, and hypertension as a result of herbicide agent exposure in Thailand.,Pancreatic cancer is not recognized as a presumptive disease due to herbicide agent exposure. The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for pancreatic cancer.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disability, finding no evidence of a link between his current heart conditions and any event in service or herbicide exposure. The claim was also not granted on a secondary basis due to lack of nexus evidence.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disorder, including atrial fibrillation, is being remanded due to the need for additional medical records and an addendum opinion on whether PTSD has aggravated his heart condition.