Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2024

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a TDIU rating is denied as there was no pending unadjudicated claim at the time of his May 2019 increased rating claim for PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary heart disease was granted with an effective date of January 14, 2020. The Board found that the March 2020 rating decision committed clear and unmistakable error (CUE) in assigning this effective date.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's congestive heart failure is related to his service-connected hypothyroidism. The VA will obtain an addendum opinion addressing this theory of entitlement.

The Veteran was granted a total disability rating for compensation purposes based on individual unemployability due to service-connected arteriosclerotic heart disease, effective from January 28, 2014. Additionally, the Veteran's SMC at the housebound rate was also granted starting September 15, 2016.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and coronary artery disease were granted effective August 10, 2022, based on the PACT Act. However, an earlier effective date is denied as the grants were not based all or in part on newly submitted service records.

The Veteran's hypertension and heart disease, including ischemic heart disease and congestive heart failure, are granted service connection due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam. The appeal is also granted for secondary service connection of congestive heart failure.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient development and inadequate medical opinions regarding service connection for ischemic heart disease. The AOJ is required to conduct additional development, including preparing an Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record (ILER) and a Toxic Exposure Risk Activity (TERA) memorandum.

The Board has granted service connection for a heart condition and erectile dysfunction, both secondary to the Veteran's service-connected back and radiculopathy disabilities with obesity as an intermediate step.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for heart condition and breathing / respiratory disorder are being remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. Additional medical opinions are needed to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including for a right knee disability and various ratings for coronary artery disease. The main issue is that the AOJ did not fully comply with previous instructions to verify the mailing address of the Veteran's unit at Ft. Lewis.

The Board has remanded the case due to a claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on housebound status. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for SMC under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s), prior to August 10, 2022. However, the Board found that VA's duty to assist requires an examination to determine if the Veteran is housebound due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a TDIU rating is denied as there was no pending unadjudicated claim at the time of his May 2019 increased rating claim for PTSD.

The Veteran's heart disability, including non-obstructive coronary artery disease and stable angina, is granted as due to herbicide agent exposure during service.

The Veteran's cause of death was not caused by any service-connected disability, and the Board found no evidence to support presumptive service connection for his conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left ear hearing loss, finding that it is related to in-service noise exposure.,Service connection for coronary artery disease remains pending as the AOJ needs to conduct further research into potential herbicide agent exposure.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for heart disability and Parkinson's disease due to herbicide agent exposure have been dismissed as the appeal is being held in abeyance due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease is granted as related to his service, including exposure to Agent Orange.,Bladder cancer was dismissed due to the grant of service connection for bladder cancer in a separate decision.,Diabetes mellitus type 2 is granted on both presumptive and direct bases due to exposure to Agent Orange.,Left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is granted as secondary to diabetes mellitus.,Right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is granted as secondary to diabetes mellitus.,Right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy is remanded for further review.,Left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy is remanded for further review.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a TDIU rating is denied as there was no pending unadjudicated claim at the time of his May 2019 increased rating claim for PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a TDIU rating is denied as there was no pending unadjudicated claim at the time of his May 2019 increased rating claim for PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus type II, sterility, prostate cancer, ischemic heart disease, and migraine have been remanded due to the need for further review of the evidence.,Claims for cervical strain, lumbar strain, right knee condition, left knee condition, right upper extremity radiculopathy, left upper extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy are also being remanded.