Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2022

The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease (CAD) due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during the Veteran's active military service in Thailand.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for arteriosclerotic heart disease, finding that there is no evidence of a diagnosis or treatment related to this condition during his military service. The Board concluded that the current heart conditions are not etiologically related to service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for heart disability, chronic sinusitis, hypertension, and allergic rhinitis.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for additional examinations. The issues include service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a heart disability, and left knee instability.

The Veteran's death is being remanded for further evaluation due to concerns about the cause of his death and potential VA negligence.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent disabling for service-connected coronary artery disease (CAD) prior to May 8, 2018; a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to May 8, 2018; and to special monthly compensation (SMC) for housebound status prior to May 8, 2018. The remand requires the VA to ensure that reasonable efforts are undertaken to obtain all private treatment records associated with the Aultman Emergency Room between October and December 2020, address the measurement of METs level in light of the findings of the VA examiner and the holding of Mittleider v. West, 11 Vet. App. 181 (1998), and address whether the results of the February 2016 echocardiogram warrant a higher disability evaluation up to and including 60 percent disabling.

The Board denied service connection for ischemic heart disease, but remanded the case to consider whether the Veteran's hypertensive heart disease is related to his military service. The decision is mixed as some issues were granted and others not.

The Board has granted service connection for myocardial infarction, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran has this condition and that it is presumed due to herbicide exposure during service. The rating assigned is 100%.

The Veteran's service connection claims for diabetes mellitus, type II and ischemic heart disease are granted due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents in Thailand. The Board also finds that the Veteran is entitled to presumptive service connection for these conditions. Service connection for retinopathy and bilateral lower extremity neuropathy secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II is remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease is now rated at the highest possible level (100%) effective June 29, 2016.

The Board has granted service connection for COPD and CAD, finding that the evidence supports a direct link to the Veteran's military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease due to lack of a current diagnosis. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, hypertension, skin cancer, and an acquired psychiatric condition (including PTSD, depressive disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder) are remanded for further development.

The Board has denied service connection for high cholesterol due to it not being a disability eligible for VA purposes. The claims of service connection for hypertension, CAD, and erectile dysfunction are remanded as there is insufficient evidence in the record.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including heart, neck, low back, shoulder, elbow, hip, knee, and ankle disabilities. The evidence did not establish a relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's period of active duty service.

The Board has remanded the claims for sleep apnea and heart condition due to Agent Orange exposure or service-connected disabilities, as the previous opinions were inadequate. The Veteran's service connection claim is pending.

The Board denied DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1151, finding that the Veteran's death was not caused by VA carelessness, negligence, or fault.

The Board has determined that the case should be remanded to further evaluate whether the Veteran's aortic aneurysm was caused by or etiologically related to service, and if so, whether it contributed substantially or materially to his cause of death from hypertensive heart disease with heart failure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for service connection for coronary artery disease and for a finding of total disability based on individual unemployability, citing lack of evidence to support earlier entitlement.

The Veteran's claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for asthma and CAD are remanded due to the need for medical opinions regarding the causation of his conditions by VA treatment.

The Board has granted service connection for ischemic heart disease, AL amyloidosis, and multiple myeloma as a result of the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents during his active duty in Thailand. Service connection is denied for lung cancer and prostate cancer.