Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate examination and consideration of lay statements.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and TDIU based on ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and other service-connected conditions. The evidence did not support a finding that his OSA was directly related to service or secondary to any of his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for heart disability, left and right carpal tunnel syndrome, and bilateral foot disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional development of her medical records.

Service connection for a heart disorder, to include hypertension and supraventricular arrhythmia is granted pursuant to the PACT Act. Service connection for asthma, to include as due to herbicide exposure, is remanded. Service connection for a heart disorder, to include hypertension and supraventricular arrhythmia on a basis other than as pursuant to the PACT Act, is also remanded.

The Veteran's heart disability, diabetes mellitus, hypertensive heart disease, and obstructive sleep apnea are being remanded for additional development to address the etiology of these conditions in relation to his service-connected disabilities and obesity.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development and examination, but did not make a final determination on any of the issues.

The Board has remanded the cases of hypertension and valvular heart disease for further development, including obtaining VA opinions to address whether these conditions are related to service-connected irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or due to military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a heart disability and diabetes mellitus, type II due to inadequate examination reports. The TDIU claim is also remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the other two issues.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need to obtain VA treatment records from 1971 to the present, including those from San Juan VA Medical Center. The Veteran seeks service connection for a cardiovascular disability, which includes coronary artery disease.

The Veteran's CAD status post stents was rated at 10 percent from January 30, 2008 to March 31, 2019 and at 60 percent from April 1, 2019 to May 16, 2023. On and after May 17, 2023, the Veteran's CAD status post stents warrants a 100 percent rating.,The effective date for the 100 percent rating is May 17, 2023.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for coronary artery disease with MI and unstable angina prior to December 6, 2022 is granted. The claim for a higher rating since December 6, 2022 is denied. Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, left lower extremity, right upper extremity, and left upper extremity are all denied.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease was rated at 60 percent from March 20, 2014 to April 9, 2019. The rating is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for a heart disability, to include hypertension with hypertensive heart disease and diastolic heart failure with atrial fibrillation, both presumed related to herbicide agent exposure under the PACT Act. The Veteran's heart disabilities are secondary to his hypertension.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's chest pain did not begin during service and is not related to any in-service injury or disease. The evidence does not support a finding of service connection for this condition.

The petition to reopen a previously denied claim for service connection for a heart disability is denied. Entitlement to service connection for bilateral flat feet is also denied.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal, leaving only the issue of a rating in excess of 10 percent for hypertension unresolved.

The Veteran's claims for migraines, gastrointestinal disorders, prostate cancer, and ischemic heart disease have been dismissed or remanded.,A new claim for service connection of a gastrointestinal disorder has been reopened.

The Board dismissed all appeals of the veteran's claims for service connection due to his withdrawal of those appeals.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions are not related to his service, and thus denied claims for COPD, lung cancer, CAD, colon cancer, bladder cancer, and diabetes mellitus. The cases have been remanded for further examination and opinion regarding these conditions.

The Veteran's heart condition, including congestive heart failure (CHF), is found to have started during his active service. Service connection for this condition is granted.