Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2024

The Veteran seeks an effective date earlier than July 14, 2018 for the grant of service connection for coronary artery disease. The Board denied this claim as there was no evidence showing a current disability prior to July 14, 2018.,The Veteran also sought an initial rating higher than 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease prior to August 14, 2018. The Board denied this claim due to the lack of evidence supporting entitlement to a higher rating.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for heart condition and atrial fibrillation, finding no current diagnosis of these conditions in the medical records.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 100% rating for coronary artery disease is remanded due to the need for additional VA and private treatment records.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the causes of the Veteran's death and their relationship to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an upper respiratory disability, heart disability, and lung disability due to potential exposure to toxic fumes from burning human waste in barrels with diesel fuel during service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to potential exposure to herbicide agents during active duty, and for a TERA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for a heart condition, but the issues of service connection for breathing and erectile dysfunction are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's heart disability, including atrial fibrillation and congestive heart failure, is granted as secondary to his service-connected PTSD with history of alcohol abuse disorder and DM.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's TDIU claim due to deficiencies in the December 2023 vocational assessment report and a need for clarification regarding the Veteran's volunteer work. The claims file is also required to be updated with any VA treatment records from the Vista Imaging database.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU was granted, with the evidence showing he has not been gainfully employed since February 10, 2017. The combined disability rating is at least 70 percent, meeting the criteria for schedular consideration of a TDIU.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a lack of a formal line of duty investigation report, which is necessary to determine if the veteran's conditions are related to military service. The VA must obtain this document or make a finding that it does not exist.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including type II diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction, pseudophakia, and hypertension, have rendered him unable to maintain regular, substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and experience.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Heart Condition as they are moot due to a grant of service connection under the AMA framework.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient development and lack of a VA examination addressing secondary service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to incomplete documentation and unclear bases of the denials. The AOJ must obtain relevant documents, including communication records between the Veteran and VA.

The Board has remanded multiple service connection claims for various disabilities, including heart disability, prostate disability, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, stroke, back disability, bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, kidney disease, left knee disability, liver disease, neck disability, radiculopathy, right and left lower extremities, skin disability with trophic changes, and tinnitus. The claims are remanded due to the need for updated medical records and VA examinations.

The Veteran's CAD with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, status post coronary artery bypass graft with stent placement, is granted at the maximum rating of 100% for the entire period on appeal.,Service connection for left lower extremity peripheral vascular occlusive disease is granted due to reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has awarded an initial 60 percent rating for surgical residuals of a coarctation of the aorta from January 21, 2017 to June 20, 2017. The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypercholesterolemia was denied. The matter of entitlement to a rating in excess of 30 percent prior to January 21, 2017 for surgical residuals of a coarctation of the aorta is remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete records and insufficient medical opinions regarding the appellant's heart disability. The AOJ is instructed to obtain additional relevant records, including private treatment records, and seek an updated medical opinion on the etiology and pathophysiology of the appellant's heart disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU prior to November 15, 2022 due to his service-connected disabilities as they did not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.