Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for heart disabilities and lung diseases due to failure of the Veteran to report for VA examinations. The case will be returned for further adjudication.

The Veteran's colon cancer is presumed to have been incurred in service due to exposure to burn pits and other toxins during his service in the Persian Gulf.,The Veteran's heart condition is not found to be related to or aggravated by his colon cancer.

The Board has remanded the case due to new statutory requirements and lack of substantial compliance with previous remand directives. The Veteran's cardiac disorder, including ischemic heart disease and atrial fibrillation, is presumed to be related to herbicide exposure in Vietnam.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including for a right knee disability and various hearing loss/tinnitus conditions. The main reason is that there are missing service treatment records.

The Board has remanded the cases due to incomplete records from the Detroit VA Medical Center prior to 2008. The AOJ must obtain these records and ensure they are associated with the claims folder.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for a heart disorder is reopened, and the issue of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's ischemic heart disease is related to his service, specifically exposure to organic solvents during active duty. The decision grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for degenerative joint disease of the thoracic spine, left ankle disability, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy have been dismissed.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for left heel disability has been denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for left knee disability has been denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him in need of regular aid and attendance of another person.,Prior to September 21, 2023, the Veteran did not have a single service-connected disability rated at 100 percent, thus failing the schedular requirement for SMC housebound.

The Board has denied service connection for a heart disorder and remanded the issues of rating right foot plantar fasciitis prior to October 1, 2018 and entitlement to service connection for an acquired left foot disorder.

The Veteran's appeal of the rating assigned for internal hemorrhoids has been denied as his symptoms do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.,Service connection claims for hypertension and coronary artery disease are remanded due to new statutory duties under the PACT Act regarding toxic exposure risk activity (TERA).,The Veteran's appeals of the ratings assigned for left ankle strain and right ankle strain have been remanded as the April 2021 examination report is inadequate.,The issue of entitlement to TDIU has been remanded due to the need for further development regarding the Veteran's unemployability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his exposure history and medical opinions.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to December 15, 2016 have been denied as there is no evidence of a claim filed before this date.,The Veteran's claims for increased disability ratings are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected coronary artery disease (CAD) are being remanded due to procedural issues and the need for additional evidence.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to their death, and the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal.

The Board found no evidence of a relationship between the veteran's current diagnosed conditions and his military service, including exposure to contamination or toxins. Therefore, the claims for service connection were denied.

An effective date of August 31, 2010 is granted for the grant of service connection for coronary artery disease and atrial fibrillation.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for coronary artery disease is denied prior to September 29, 2020. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to September 29, 2020. For the period beginning September 29, 2020 and thereafter, the Veteran's coronary artery disease warrants a 60 percent rating.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, a heart condition, and lung conditions due to insufficient medical opinions and failure to consider all relevant evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's heart condition and hypertension do not meet the criteria for service connection, as there is no evidence of a current disability related to his military service or exposure to herbicides. The Veteran's heart condition was diagnosed many years after discharge, and there is insufficient medical nexus to establish a link between his current condition and service.