Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2023

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than January 12, 2015 for the grant of service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been denied.,The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent for service-connected hypertensive heart disease has been denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, claimed as anxiety and depression, has been denied.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities (claimed as secondary to diabetes), and ischemic heart disease. The evidence did not support claims based on herbicide exposure or presumptive service connection.,Service connection was denied because there was no credible evidence showing in-service exposure to Agent Orange or other herbicides, and the Veteran's conditions were not shown to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, and coronary artery bypass graft resulted in a workload of greater than 3 METs but not greater than 5 METs resulting in dyspnea, fatigue, angina, dizziness, or syncope. The Board granted a 60 percent rating for the period from April 25, 2019 to September 11, 2022.

The Board has remanded several claims, including those for peripheral artery disease of the bilateral lower extremities, ischemic heart disease, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities (to include as secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II), and a left ankle disability. The PACT Act is considered in these matters.

Service connection for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is granted. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss, fatigue, left shoulder pain, right wrist pain, esophageal reflux, sleep disturbances, headaches, lung condition, hypertension, and heart condition are denied. A rating in excess of 10 percent for a painful scar on the left knee and a compensable rating for non-painful scars on the left knee is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for sleep disability, bilateral lung disability, heart disability, and migraines. The Board found no current diagnoses or evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating higher than 30 percent for his hypertensive heart disease is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and consideration of previously performed stress tests.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, but remanded several other issues related to the Veteran's health conditions.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a heart condition, but has remanded both cases for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for heart disability, right patellar plica syndrome, and right knee instability due to incomplete findings in previous examinations and failure to consider causation or aggravation by service-connected conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of rationale in the VA examiners' findings regarding the Veteran's METs level and the impact of his service-connected CAD on his employment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions due to a lack of issuance of a Statement of the Case (SOC) and improper form use in filing his appeal. The issues will be returned to the RO for further action.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration, including scheduling VA examinations to assess the current severity of the Veteran's service-connected PTSD, low back disability, and left lower extremity sensory and motor deficits. The timeliness of the NOD regarding the January 2016 rating decision on coronary artery disease and diabetes is also in question.

The Board has dismissed the appeal as the appellant withdrew all issues related to service connection and disability ratings.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart disease as due to exposure to herbicide agents are granted. The Board also remanded the issues of peripheral neuropathy, finding that additional evidence is needed.

The Veteran's appeal to restore the rating for sinusitis is dismissed. The appeal to reopen his claim for service connection for a chronic kidney condition is granted, and the claims for coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension are remanded.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a heart disorder and denied all other claims due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, hypertensive heart disease, and arrhythmia due to herbicide exposure. However, the claim for sick sinus syndrome secondary to hypertension remains unresolved as there is insufficient evidence regarding its etiology.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a TDIU rating as they do not preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board found that the withholding of VA disability compensation for 54 training days in FY 2016 was proper, as the Veteran received concurrent pay and thus did not receive additional benefits. The appeal is denied.