Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2023

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher evaluation was granted, with an effective date of August 19, 2022. The case is remanded for further development regarding other issues.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating, including obtaining missing service treatment records and scheduling VA examinations.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development and consideration of his claims, including service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as secondary to anxiety disorder, hypertension, and other disabilities.,The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, CAD, and erectile dysfunction due to conflicting findings regarding exposure to herbicide agents during service. The AOJ must reconcile these findings in a new TERA memorandum.

The Veteran's arthritis, heart disease, and prostate cancer with surgery are not service-connected due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.,COPD is also not service-connected as there was no herbicide exposure documented.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease, hypertension, and gout, finding no evidence of direct causation or exposure to herbicide agents during active military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for CAD, a respiratory condition, erectile dysfunction, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to potential toxic exposure in service. The claims are also being remanded for a new opinion regarding his service-connected GERD claim.

The Board has denied an initial disability rating in excess of 30 percent for coronary artery disease. The claims for accrued benefits, service connection for colon cancer and liver cancer (secondary to colon cancer), and depression (secondary to colon cancer) are remanded due to the need for additional development and medical opinions.

The Board denied service connection for a heart disability and stroke, finding that the evidence did not support a causal relationship to service-connected conditions.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the Veteran's exposure to herbicides and contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, as well as to obtain outstanding medical records. The claims for service connection are remanded in light of this determination.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for various conditions, including coronary artery disease and bilateral hand arthritis associated with Reiter's syndrome, was denied. The rating for left knee limitation of flexion (LOF) was restored to a noncompensable level effective February 10, 2023.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for heart disability, prostate cancer, and back disability due to incomplete verification of the Veteran's periods of active duty, ACDUTRA, and INACDUTRA. The Veteran's complete personnel records need to be associated with the claims file.

Service connection for hypertension is granted on a presumptive basis under the PACT Act. Service connection for tinnitus and earlier effective date for CAD are denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records and need for further development, including obtaining STRs, stressor development, and VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the case because a new examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's heart condition is related to service, including his service-connected PTSD and smoking.

The Veteran's initial 30 percent rating for coronary artery disease status post coronary artery bypass graft disability is granted from January 4, 2007. The appeal is denied for a higher rating since January 19, 2011.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment since the time of his September 5, 2017 TDIU claim and through November 30, 2021, when a 100 percent schedular rating is assigned.

The Veteran's service connection claim for a heart condition was denied, and his increased disability rating claim for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine was also denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient etiology opinions regarding the cause of death, and a new opinion is needed.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development regarding herbicide agent exposure verification. The AOJ failed to contact the appropriate entities as instructed in the October 2022 remand.