Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2024

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors and insufficient medical evidence. The AOJ must verify the Veteran's exposure to herbicides during his service in Thailand or Vietnam, if not already conceded. A VA examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed conditions.

The Board has granted an initial 100 percent disability rating for coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction, effective September 28, 2011. The decision is based on the Veteran's symptoms of heart failure including breathlessness, fatigue, angina, dizziness, arrhythmia, palpitations, or syncope.

The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease and right knee disability do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, as his limitations are adequately compensated by the current disability ratings.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of October 4, 2010 for service connection of ischemic heart disease due to herbicide exposure. The decision was based on prior denials and a later grant of service connection in July 2001 with an effective date of June 21, 2011.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension effective from August 10, 2022, under the PACT Act. The other issues are remanded due to new evidence and potential TERA exposure.

The Veteran's application for Legacy S-DVI was denied due to his history of liver cancer, Hepatitis C, and GERD. The Board has determined that the decision on appeal is flawed due to a lack of underwriting procedures compliance and procedural errors in notification.

The Veteran's service connection claim for coronary artery disease is granted due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents, including Agent Orange. The Board found reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran and granted service connection.

The Board has determined that there was a duty to assist error and remanded the case for an addendum opinion regarding whether the Veteran's erectile dysfunction disability is caused by or aggravated by his service-connected heart, back, and radiculopathy disabilities.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the death of the claimant, and no service connection is granted for any condition.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of January 20, 2010 for service connection of coronary artery disease (CAD) is granted. The matter of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) is remanded.

The appeals for service connection for coronary artery disease, sleep apnea, and left ankle disabilities are denied. The appeal for right ankle disability is remanded due to new and relevant evidence being submitted.

The Veteran's initial and subsequent increased ratings for coronary artery disease prior to November 15, 2013, and from that date onwards have been denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection of various conditions, including heart condition, prostate condition, back condition, hydrocele, and hypertension have been denied. The Board found no diagnosed conditions that would support the grant of service connection.

The Veteran's heart condition was rated at 10 percent prior to February 21, 2020 and at 30 percent thereafter. The Board granted a 30 percent rating for the heart condition prior to February 21, 2020 but denied any increase in rating from that date onward. The issue of TDIU prior to November 10, 2017 was also remanded.

The Veteran requested a restoration of 60 percent disability rating for service-connected coronary artery disease (CAD), but withdrew his appeal in March 2024.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to May 6, 2013 for the award of service connection for sleep apnea was denied as there is no legal right to this benefit.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to November 12, 2016 for the award of service connection for coronary artery disease status post bypass graft and myocardial infarction associated with herbicide exposure was also denied due to lack of current disability related to heart problems during the pendency of his initial claim.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease is currently rated at 30 percent, which is the maximum rating available under the pre-amendment criteria for arteriosclerotic heart disease (coronary artery disease). The evidence does not support a higher rating as there is no cardiac hypertrophy or dilatation on electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, or X-ray. The Veteran's daily 2-5-mile walks and lack of limiting symptoms are consistent with the current disability level.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been readjudicated due to new evidence. The claims for liver disease, coronary artery disease, and cervical spine degenerative arthritis are being remanded.,The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as the evidence does not show that his current hearing loss disability was incurred in or aggravated by his military service.

The Board has denied an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for coronary artery disease and remanded the claims for bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy due to a lack of evidence regarding their onset during or shortly after service.

The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease (CAD) due to in-service exposure, as the Veteran was diagnosed with CAD and there is no evidence of ischemic heart disease during service.