Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2022

The Board has granted the reopening of the Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart disorder and renal/kidney failure, but denied both claims on the merits. The evidence does not support a finding that either condition had onset in active service or is otherwise causally connected to active service.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus, colon cancer, prostate cancer, and ischemic heart disease due to potential exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. The Veteran's claim will be further evaluated with a medical opinion regarding the relationship between his service and these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient findings regarding the Veteran's mustard gas exposure and the relationship between his cause of death and service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment, leading to a denial of the TDIU claim.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a new medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's prostate cancer, coronary artery disease, or hypertension contributed to his death.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease requires continuous medication but does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under either the pre-amendment or post-amendment versions of Diagnostic Code 7005, and his claim for a disability rating greater than 10 percent for coronary artery disease must be denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease, PTSD, skin disability, tinnitus, and others, rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment from July 2, 2003 to July 25, 2007. The Board granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis for this period.

The appeal for service connection of a bilateral knee disability is dismissed. The appeals for service connection of lumbar spine, stroke residuals, COPD, heart disability, and bilateral hearing loss disabilities are remanded.

The Board has dismissed all the issues of entitlement to service connection for various conditions, including heart condition, lung condition (also claimed as asbestosis), sleep apnea, peripheral neuropathy, Barrett's Esophagus/gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), gastritis/celiac disease, and neurological effects (restless leg syndrome).

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and ischemic heart disease as the evidence did not show exposure to herbicides during service.

The Board has remanded the claims for hearing loss, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, coronary artery disease (CAD), cataracts, colon cancer, left foot pain, and PTSD due to potential service connection issues.

The Board has remanded the claims for DIC benefits and a burial allowance due to procedural issues, but also noted that service-connected coronary artery disease may have contributed to the Veteran's death. The appeals are being considered together.

The Veteran's hypertension and coronary artery disease are granted as directly related to his exposure to herbicide agents during service.,The Veteran's hypertensive cardiovascular disease is granted as secondary to his service-connected hypertension.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease is granted as presumptively related to his exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam.,The cause of the Veteran's death, which was sudden heart failure with underlying causes including COPD and renal insufficiency, is found to be due to his service-connected ischemic heart disease.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing or a special home adaptation grant due to lack of qualifying conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disability, including ischemic heart disease (IHD), finding that there was no evidence of a heart disability during service and insufficient medical evidence linking it to his service. The long period without problems after discharge is considered against the claim.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected condition, and the Board found no evidence to support presumptive exposure to herbicides. The cause of death was attributed to cardiopulmonary arrest with underlying atherosclerotic heart disease.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, a heart disorder, renal dysfunction, and erectile dysfunction as the Veteran's duties at Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base did not place him on or near the base perimeter and he was not otherwise exposed to herbicide agents during service.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he withdrew his claims.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding the etiology and pathophysiology of the Veteran's heart disorder, as well as whether obesity is a substantial factor in causing his heart condition.