Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2024

The Board has found a pre-decisional duty to assist error in not obtaining private treatment records from Dr. Hamed Bayat, who treats the Veteran for his coronary artery disease. The case is being remanded for VA to request that the Veteran provide permission to obtain these records.

The Veteran's heart disorder, including bradycardia requiring a permanent pacemaker implantation, is found to be related to his service. Service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease has rendered him in need of regular aid and attendance, which is granted for special monthly compensation.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding herbicide exposure and its relation to the Veteran's coronary artery disease. The claim will be reconsidered with a new VA medical opinion.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for mental, anxiety and depression (claimed as secondary to a service-connected disability) and coronary artery disease (claimed as heart attack). The issues are related to whether these conditions are related to active service or to his service-connected disabilities of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.,The Board also found that the Veteran's coronary artery disease is not related to service, despite evidence showing he had chest pain during service. The examiner was instructed to consider this information in their review.

The Board has remanded the claims for lung cancer and ischemic heart disease due to a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error. The cause of death claim is also remanded as it cannot be addressed until substitution is resolved.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to errors in the VA's pre-decisional duty to assist and a need for a medical opinion regarding the Veteran's service connection claim. The claims will be reconsidered with additional evidence and an expert opinion.

The Veteran's claims for prostate cancer, lung cancer, ischemic heart disease, and type II diabetes mellitus are remanded due to inadequate VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from caring for himself and protecting himself, requiring regular aid and attendance. The Board has granted special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are rated at 30 percent prior to May 6, 2022 and 50 percent beginning on that date. The Veteran is granted service connection for major depressive disorder and secondary service connection for obstructive sleep apnea.,Service connection for coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus type II remains pending as the claims are remanded.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain TERA opinions for the Veteran's heart disability and pleural calcifications, as there are pre-decisional duty to assist errors in the current VA opinions. The claims will be adjudicated again with these new opinions.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings in multiple conditions have been dismissed due to their death during the appeal process.

The Veteran's hypertension is not rated higher than 10 percent, as his diastolic pressure has never been predominantly 110 or more and systolic pressure has never been predominantly 200 or more.,Neither the midline sternotomy scar nor the left lower extremity inner upper calf scar meet the criteria for a compensable rating under VA's skin disability rating schedule.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertensive heart disease as secondary to hypertension, finding that there is at least equipoise evidence supporting this determination.

The appeals regarding chronic kidney disease and ischemic heart disease have been dismissed as the AOJ has already granted service connection for these conditions in previous decisions.

The Board has remanded the claims for hypertension, ischemic heart disease, prostate cancer, and type II diabetes mellitus due to herbicide agent exposure as there are errors in pre-decisional duty-to-assist actions.

The Veteran's death was not service-connected. The significant conditions contributing to his death included diabetes mellitus type II.,Service connection for diabetes mellitus type II is being remanded due to the unavailability of STRs and potential fire-related loss of records.,Heart disorder (including heart failure and coronary artery disease) on substitution basis is being remanded due to the unavailability of STRs and potential fire-related loss of records.,Right foot amputation, secondary to diabetes mellitus type II, is being remanded due to the unavailability of STRs and potential fire-related loss of records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for ischemic heart disease and type II diabetes due to a lack of verification regarding his exposure within 12 nautical miles of the Republic of Vietnam while serving on the U.S.S. Dubuque.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating and TDIU prior to August 5, 2020 was denied. The effective date of the award is set at August 5, 2020.

The Veteran's claims for service connection on a secondary basis have been remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding her claimed conditions.