Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2023

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's pulmonary disability and heart disability as secondary to his pulmonary disability, finding that both conditions are due to events in service.

The claims of service connection for sleep apnea, low back disorder, bilateral foot disorder, arthritis (bilateral hands and knees), acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD with depression), and hypertension have been granted. The effective date is not specified.

The Board has remanded the case for referral to the Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular TDIU consideration prior to September 22, 2016.

The Board has remanded the case due to uncertainty about whether the Veteran's service on the USS Hornet was within 12 nautical miles of Vietnam, which is required for presumptive service connection for herbicide exposure. The Veteran needs to provide additional information regarding his service aboard other ships during this period.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for a heart condition and sleep apnea, as secondary to his service-connected disabilities. The case is being remanded for further examination and medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient reasoning in a May 2022 VA opinion regarding service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which is secondary to service-connected disabilities including diabetes mellitus with peripheral neuropathy, coronary artery disease, and hypertension. The AOJ needs to obtain an addendum opinion addressing whether these conditions caused or aggravated the Veteran's obesity.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various disabilities, including bilateral knee disability, tinnitus, heart disability, right ankle disability, fibromyalgia, and bone spur of the left foot. The Veteran's assertions have not been supported by medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred on August 12, 2015 at Laurel Street Office SC Heart Center are granted as the treatment was for a service-connected condition and rendered in an emergency.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for stable angina, right knee arthroplasty, and left knee arthroplasty due to the need for additional development of medical evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's heart disorder, including coronary artery disease (CAD), is not related to service or his service-connected disabilities and thus, denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to potential exposure to Agent Orange during service, and a thorough search for all locations where the Veteran was stationed is required.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for additional development and examination, including obtaining relevant Social Security Administration records and providing an additional heart disability examination.

The Veteran's death was not service-connected, and the Board is remanding for further development to obtain updated medical records and determine if his cause of death was related to hypertension or coronary artery disease.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities require regular aid and attendance, leading to a grant of SMC at the A&A rate effective August 17, 2021.

The Board granted a 60 percent rating for idiopathic premature ventricular contractions with bradycardia (heart disability), finding that the Veteran's LVEF of 50 percent at its worst throughout the appeal period warrants this rating.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not rated compensably, as his current hearing levels do not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,Service connection for COPD due to asbestos exposure is denied because there is no evidence of in-service exposure and the condition is more likely related to smoking than service.,Coronary artery disease claimed as due to herbicide agent exposure is denied, with the opinion stating that the Veteran's COPD was not caused by his service-connected asbestos-related COPD.,Service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, claimed as due to herbicide agent exposure is denied because there is no evidence of in-service exposure and the condition is more likely related to smoking than service.,Transient ischemic attack (TIA), claimed as due to herbicide agent exposure, is denied with the opinion stating that the Veteran's COPD was not caused by his service-connected asbestos-related COPD.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lung disability and coronary artery disease (CAD), finding that there is not sufficient evidence to support a link between these conditions and his military service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU on an extraschedular basis is remanded due to the Board not properly addressing USPS response regarding employment information.

The Board has remanded the case due to non-compliance with previous directives and needs further development, including obtaining service treatment records and conducting a VA examination.

The Board has ordered remand due to errors in verifying the Veteran's service with the Army National Guard of Pennsylvania in 1992, which is necessary for proper adjudication of his claim.