Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2023

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, coronary artery disease, and hypertension are granted as service-connected due to exposure to herbicide agents in Thailand. The PACT Act presumption is applied for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's heart disease is related to his in-service herbicide exposure and service connection is granted.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of September 18, 2006 for the grant of entitlement to a total disability rating based upon individual employability (TDIU) is granted. The Board also found that referral for extra-schedular consideration was warranted due to unemployability by reason of service-connected disabilities prior to September 18, 2006.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various conditions, including DJD of the left arm and ruptured bicep tendon (left arm), residuals of a right arm fracture, accelerated cataracts, CAD, a back condition, and a neck condition. The Veteran's claims are not currently addressed in this decision.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disability, finding that his congenital right bundle branch block is not a superimposed disability and therefore does not warrant service connection.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee disability and TDIU are remanded due to incomplete medical records. The heart disability claim is also remanded as no SOC has been issued.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of coronary artery disease, restless leg syndrome, and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy as they have been decided under the AMA system or granted by the AOJ.

The Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 60 percent for coronary atherosclerosis of native coronary vessel with coronary artery disease, symptomatic bradycardia status post implanted cardiac pacemaker, valvular heart disease, and hypertensive heart disease is denied.

The Veteran's TDIU rating is granted as of January 27, 2011 due to his service-connected disabilities including PTSD and CAD.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion and failure to consider whether service-connected conditions aggravated the Veteran's DM2. The claim is now pending for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various conditions including arthritis, heart condition, eye condition, insomnia, hypertension, kidney condition, hearing loss, lower back condition, cervical degenerative disc disease (claimed as neck arthritis and arthritis all systems), and depression due to new evidence being added since the last decision.

The Veteran's service connection claims for ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, and kidney disorder are being remanded due to a lack of VA examinations related to these conditions. The Board finds that the Veteran was exposed to asbestos and other toxic chemicals during his service aboard USS Forrestal.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted at a 100 percent evaluation, and he is also awarded SMC based on the need for aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities. The issue of TDIU is dismissed as moot.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 60 percent rating for ischemic heart disease with myocardial infarction and right bundle branch block prior to August 26, 2020 is denied. The Veteran also has an earlier effective date claim for Dependents' Educational Assistance under 38 USC chapter 35 which is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for his heart disorder, including as secondary to hypertension, is being remanded due to the need for a VA medical opinion addressing both causation and aggravation.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of service-connected atrial fibrillation and hypertension, an earlier effective date for a 60 percent evaluation of ischemic heart disease and hypertensive heart disease, and entitlement to a TDIU are being remanded due to the need to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error by associating private treatment records with his claims file.

The Veteran's earlier effective date claim for service connection of coronary artery disease (CAD) is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error. The Board finds that the March 2011 VA opinion did not adequately address when the Veteran's CAD first manifested, and thus, an addendum opinion is needed.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him in need of regular aid and attendance, as the requirement for such is attributed to non-service-connected back pain. As a result, special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance is denied.

The Veteran's heart disability is not service-connected due to lack of evidence linking it to his military service.,There is no evidence that the Veteran experienced a hemorrhagic stroke, acute arterial ischemia right leg or thrombosed popliteal aneurysm during his active duty.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a cardiac disability, including coronary artery disease and ischemic heart disease. The evidence did not establish herbicide exposure or jet fuel exposure during service, nor was there any medical nexus linking the current condition to service.