Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient research into the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents during his service at Udorn RTAFB from March 11, 1975 to January 10, 1976.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to April 14, 2020.

The Veteran's effective date for Concurrent Retirement and Disability Payments (CRDP) is denied because he did not meet the eligibility criteria of a combined disability rating of at least 50% prior to March 30, 2010.

The Veteran's appeal regarding a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus has been withdrawn. The claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied in the August 2004 rating decision, and no new and material evidence has been received since then.,The claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is reopened due to the submission of a September 2017 VA examination report showing a diagnosis of bilateral knee strain. The Veteran's testimony at the March 2022 Board hearing supports this finding.,Service connection for hypertension, chest pain, and heart condition has not been established as there is no evidence linking these conditions to service or post-service continuity of symptoms. Service connection for PTSD was granted with a rating of 50 percent but without an effective date prior to July 18, 2017.,Service connection for metatarsalgia status post fracture in both feet and right leg radiculopathy have been denied as there is no evidence showing these conditions are related to service or the Veteran's current symptoms. Service connection for left shoulder condition, sinus condition, sleep apnea, digestive condition (including GERD), and back condition has also not been established.,The Board found that new and material evidence had been submitted to reopen claims of service connection for bilateral knee conditions, metatarsalgia status post fracture in both feet, and PTSD. The Veteran's testimony supported these findings.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination regarding whether a service-connected disability has aggravated the Veteran's hypertension.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's heart disability, including coronary artery disease, ischemic heart disease, and congestive heart failure, is etiologically related to his service exposure to burn pits in Afghanistan. As such, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for an adequate medical examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's heart disability. The examiner is asked to determine if the current heart disability had its onset in or is related to service, considering the Veteran's separation examination from his first period of active service.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease is rated at a 100 percent effective from February 12, 2016.

The Veteran's death was not determined to be service-connected, and the Board has remanded for further development regarding the cause of death.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for skin rash, hypertension, sleep apnea, and heart disease (CAD/IHD/CHF/Hypertensive Heart Disease) for retroactive benefits due to secondary service-connected PTSD. The case is also remanded for an addendum opinion regarding the Veteran's claim for sleep apnea.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left knee patella tendonitis, heart disease (including cardiomyopathy), hypertension, and obstructive sleep apnea due to the Veteran's failure to report for a VA examination. The issues are inextricably intertwined with each other.

The appeal for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is dismissed.,The appeal for service connection for COPD is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for heart condition, right knee disability, and right hip disability due to incomplete development.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete service records and the need for clarification regarding the preexistence of the heart disability during active service. The Veteran's claims will be reviewed again with additional development.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for various conditions, including a psychiatric disorder, heart condition, diabetes, hypertension, prostate cancer, glaucoma, and hyperlipidemia, is dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his claim. The evidence does not support any of these claims.

The Board dismissed the appeals regarding increased rating for coronary artery disease, service connection for prostate cancer, and service connection for obstructive sleep apnea due to the appellant's death.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection and increased ratings in multiple conditions, including lumbar spine degenerative joint disease, radiculopathy of the lower extremities, arm conditions, knee conditions, heart condition, high blood pressure, mental health condition, and headaches. The claims are dismissed.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection as it began during service and has continued since separation. Service connection for benign prostatic hyperplasia with urinary obstruction and urinary frequency, diabetes mellitus, type II, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), thyroid disorder, and heart disability were denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease qualifies for special monthly compensation at the housebound rate since May 18, 2018.