Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded several claims, including service connection for COPD, heart conditions, paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, anemia, gallstones, and glaucoma. The Veteran's exposure to asbestos during service as a boiler technician is conceded.

The Board has granted earlier effective dates for the grant of service connection for diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart disease. The issues of an increased rating for ischemic heart disease and TDIU are remanded to allow for appropriate development.

The Veteran's service connection claims for ischemic heart disease and hypertension have been granted. The IHD claim is based on presumed exposure to herbicide agents, while the hypertension claim is under the recently enacted PACT Act.,Both conditions are associated with presumed exposure to herbicide agents during active duty in or near the Korean DMZ.

The Veteran's heart disability associated with herbicide exposure is now rated at 60 percent, effective November 29, 2022. The thrombosis (claimed as stroke) remains at a 10 percent rating.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further action regarding his claim of service connection for heart disease due to exposure at Camp Lejeune.,His other claims, including those for increased ratings and TDIU, are denied as the evidence does not support a higher rating or eligibility for benefits under these criteria.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate opinions and missing information. The claims are now pending again with new instructions for obtaining more specific medical opinions.

The Veteran's initial ratings for sleep apnea, headaches, left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, CAD, and DDD were denied. The maximum rating of 50 percent was granted for sleep apnea.

The Veteran's service connection claims for coronary artery disease, coronary artery bypass graft, angina, hypertension, and hypertensive heart disease have all been granted.,Service connection is established for these conditions based on exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected conditions contributed substantially or materially to his death. The claim is being returned for a VA medical opinion.

The Veteran's service connection claim for ischemic heart disease is granted due to exposure to herbicide agents in the Korean DMZ.,The Veteran's service connection claim for right optic neuropathy, as secondary to his service-connected ischemic heart disease, is also granted.

The Veteran's non-Hodgkin's lymphoma rating is restored to 100% effective April 1, 2016. The increased rating for coronary artery disease heart valve replacement and bypass graft as well as the special monthly compensation based on housebound status are remanded.

The Veteran's TDIU and SMC benefits are granted effective July 30, 2021. DEA eligibility is also granted on the same date.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and coronary artery disease due to herbicide exposure as there was no evidence of such exposure. The Board also denied service connection for right foot ulcers and left foot ulcers secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II.

The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease (CAD) is currently rated at 60 percent, effective as of January 21, 2020. The appeal for higher ratings prior to this date has been denied.

The Board denied service connection for a heart disability, finding no evidence of direct service connection and insufficient medical nexus to support secondary or presumptive service connection. The Veteran's PTSD with unspecified adjustment disorder was granted as service-connected.

The Board has remanded the claims for coronary artery disease, scar status post CAD, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease due to inadequate development of evidence. The Veteran's death certificate indicates respiratory failure as a result of COPD/CHF.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection to a heart condition and left atrial pseudoaneurysm, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his active duty service. The decision also noted that the Veteran had not established entitlement to TDIU prior to July 19, 2019.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart disability and TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities. The decision found that there was no evidence linking the current heart conditions to service, specifically the motor vehicle accident during active duty.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied.,A 30 percent rating for chronic motion sickness is granted.,Service connection for a heart disability is denied.,Service connection for varicose veins is denied.,Service connection for bilateral flat feet and bilateral upper calf neuropathy are precluded due to lack of service-connected conditions.,The Veteran's claim for sleep apnea, lumbar spine disorder, and other issues is remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is found to have substantially contributed to his cause of death, which was a myocardial infarction and coronary artery arthrosclerosis.