Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2024

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his service-connected conditions did not contribute substantially or materially to his death.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and a personality disorder, is dismissed as moot due to the grant of service connection in an October 2023 rating decision. The claims for heart disability, UTI, lymph node disease, granulomatous disease, eye disability, and lumbar spine disability are remanded.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of a skin disability and atherosclerotic coronary heart disease (ischemic heart disease) as the appellant withdrew his appeal, and the issue of ischemic heart disease was already granted in a previous rating decision.

The Board has granted service connection for Parkinson's disease, prostate cancer, and coronary artery disease based on exposure to herbicide agents during service. The Veteran's cause of death is also recognized as related to these conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to potential exposure to Agent Orange and other toxic substances during service. The Veteran's conditions are being reviewed in light of the PACT Act, which requires VA to provide a disability examination and medical nexus opinion when a veteran submits a compensation claim and has evidence of a disability and participation in a toxic exposure risk activity (TERA).

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional development and examination, including verification of his reported stressor event and herbicide agent exposure.

The Board found that the Veteran's heart disorders did not manifest in service or within one year thereafter and are not otherwise related to service, thus denying his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of acid reflux, hypertension, and heart disability are remanded due to insufficient evidence.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU is also remanded.

The Veteran died of myocardial infarction, atherosclerosis, end-stage renal disease, and coronary artery disease. The Board found no evidence to support service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, type II; hypertension/high blood pressure; heart condition; GERD; left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy; right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy; left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy; and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy have been reopened. The Board is remanding these issues due to the need for further development.,The Veteran's claim of service connection for a respiratory disability (shortness of breath) has also been remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran not attending a scheduled VA examination for his heart condition. The Veteran testified that he believes his heart condition is related to exposure to toxic chemicals and emotional states caused by PTSD.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus is dismissed. The Board has also remanded the issue of service connection for ischemic heart disease due to exposure to herbicide agents or toxic exposure risk activities (TERA).

The Veteran's heart disability was not caused by VA treatment, and the Board found that his additional disabilities were not proximately caused by VA fault. Therefore, compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for a heart disability is denied.

The Board has determined that there have been substantial compliance issues with the previous remand directives and additional development is required. The Veteran's claims for increased evaluation of mitral valve prolapse with bradycardia and angina, as well as TDIU prior to May 6, 2013, are being remanded due to incomplete or insufficient responses to the remand requests.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU from July 14, 2016 to December 20, 2016 due to his service-connected psychiatric and heart disabilities. Prior to this period, the criteria for a TDIU were not met as he could still secure and follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to January 30, 2018 for the grant of service connection for a scar disability is denied. The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date than January 30, 2018 for Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits is also denied. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 60 percent for heart disability prior to January 30, 2018 is denied. The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for service-connected scar disability is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient development and need for additional medical opinions regarding service connection for a heart disability, including consideration of burn pit exposure.

The Board has remanded the service connection claims for hips, legs, feet, sinus, right ankle, PFB, hepatitis C, arterial occlusion, and heart murmur disabilities due to inadequate medical opinions provided by VA examiners. The claims are now before the Board for further review.

The Veteran's heart condition, resulting in a disability rating of 30 percent for valvular heart disease with heart valve replacement, is denied. The Board has also remanded the issue of service connection for stroke as secondary to his heart condition.