Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2022

The Board has dismissed all appeals for service connection and rating higher than 60 percent for coronary artery disease, status post coronary artery bypass graft due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, stomach disability, and heart disability are all found to be secondary to his service-connected lymphoma.

The Veteran's appeal involves claims for service connection for a heart disability and gastrointestinal disability (claimed as GERD). The Board has remanded these issues due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding secondary service connection, and for further examination of his gastrointestinal symptoms.

The Veteran's service connection claim for coronary artery disease (CAD) has been granted. The issue of entitlement to service connection for hypertension, which was raised by the record and remanded in July 2021, remains pending.,The Board found that the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents during his service at Nakhon Phanom RTAFB, Thailand. However, due to a lack of an adequate VA examination or opinion regarding hypertension, the issue is being remanded for further development.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities for the period from October 29, 2012, through July 4, 2017. Additionally, he is granted special monthly compensation at the housebound rate during this same period.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including back disability, hypothyroidism, cataracts of the eyes, hypertension, bilateral eye diabetic retinopathy, diabetes mellitus type II, coronary artery disease, and depression, as they were not found to be related to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease, to include as secondary to in-service exposure to herbicide agents (Agent Orange), is denied. The evidence does not show the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents during his active military service in Korea and there is no link between his current condition and his service.

The Board dismissed all appeals related to the Veteran's claims, including those for service connection and rating determinations.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU on an extra-schedular basis from January 8, 2016 to April 26, 2016 due to his service-connected disabilities.,The Veteran was also granted a schedular TDIU from April 27, 2016 to February 15, 2022.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disability, including ischemic heart disease, finding that there is no credible evidence linking his current heart conditions to his in-service herbicide exposure or any other service event. The Board also found insufficient evidence of a nexus between his diagnosed atrial fibrillation and service.

The Veteran's heart disorder, including hypertension, is being remanded for further examination and analysis to determine if it is related to his service-connected disabilities or due to obesity as an intermediate step.

The Veteran's bilateral leg varicose veins have been granted service connection. The issues of hypertension, right clavicle fracture, right clavicle scar, left knee condition, low back condition, and coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction are remanded for further examination and determination.

The Board has remanded the claim for coronary artery disease (CAD) due to outstanding private treatment records that need to be obtained.

The Veteran's death was not covered for enhanced DIC because he did not meet the requirement of having a service-connected disability rated as totally disabling for at least eight years prior to his death.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The issues include bilateral upper extremity pain/carpal tunnel syndrome, bilateral knee disability, bilateral pes planus, heart disorder, and pulmonary disability.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for coronary artery disease and remanded other issues due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded several claims, including those for service connection and evaluation of PTSD, as well as the reopening of other claims. The heart disability claim is also being remanded due to potential VA treatment records not having been obtained.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disability, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability related to active duty service or Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding a heart disability and its relation to service. A VA examination is needed to determine if there is a link between the Veteran's current heart condition and his military service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development, including obtaining medical records and providing a VA examiner with an addendum opinion regarding hepatitis C and CAD.