Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2024

The Board has granted service connection for a heart condition, including coronary artery disease and post-surgery status, as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected hypertension. The decision resolves doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has reinstated service connection for diabetes mellitus Type II, coronary artery disease (CAD) s/p CABG, CABG scars, non-linear superficial anterior trunk scar, left lower extremity (LLE) scar, right lower extremity (RLE) scar, and diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities. The reinstatement is effective from May 1, 2018.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a heart disorder (atrial fibrillation and cardiomyopathy) due to inconsistencies in medical evidence and need for further development.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for coronary artery disease was denied as the evidence did not show any manifestations that would warrant a higher than 60 percent or 100 percent rating during the appeal period.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions regarding his service-connected conditions, as well as new evidence of worsening since previous evaluations.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease, including myocardial infarction and stent placement, is being remanded for further evaluation due to inadequate medical opinions regarding its relationship to his service-connected unspecified trauma and stressor-related disorder.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for bradycardia or other heart disorder as secondary to service-connected hypertension due to insufficient evidence in the record.

The Board denied service connection for coronary artery disease, prostate cancer residuals, and immunoglobulin deficiency. The claim of service connection for erectile dysfunction was remanded.,There is no evidence of herbicide exposure during the Veteran's service in Korea.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions did not result in loss or permanent loss of use of one or both feet or hands, severe burn injury, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ankylosis of a knee or hip during the appeal period. Therefore, he is not eligible for financial assistance in purchasing an automobile or other conveyance and adaptive equipment.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of 60 percent for coronary artery disease with right bundle branch block status post myocardial infarction and multiple stents (CAD) prior to February 27, 2011 was granted. The claims for increased ratings in excess of 60 percent from April 1, 2011 to December 8, 2014, and in excess of 60 percent from June 1, 2015 were denied. A TDIU was granted from March 30, 2009 to April 1, 2011. SMC at the housebound rate was granted for specific periods.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion and a lack of Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record (ILER). The Veteran's heart condition is being reviewed for potential service connection based on toxic exposure risk activity.

The Board has remanded the cases for further examination and opinion due to potential applicability of the PACT Act, which requires VA to provide a medical examination and secure a nexus opinion if there is evidence of toxic exposure during service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease was granted with an effective date of September 24, 2013. The decision is based on the receipt of relevant military personnel records that confirmed his exposure to herbicide agents during active duty in the Gulf War.

The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease, Parkinson's disease, and diabetes mellitus on a basis other than the PACT Act due to herbicide agent exposure during service in Thailand.

The Veteran's service connection claims for a heart condition, residuals of basal cell carcinoma, residuals of melanoma, and sterility are being remanded due to the need for new medical opinions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings for various conditions, including hypertension, hyperlipidemia, cardiac heart condition, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, diabetic renal dysfunction, diabetic retinopathy, and erectile dysfunction, were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for hypertension or service connection for hyperlipidemia.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to a failure to provide adequate duty-to-assist findings regarding deck logs and command history of the USS Valley Forge. The claims are related to herbicide agent exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for liver cancer but denied service connection for ischemic heart disease (IHD). The Veteran's liver cancer is considered metastatic from his primary lung cancer, which was already service-connected. However, there is no evidence of IHD during or within one year after the Veteran's separation from service.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates related to service connection for various conditions have been denied. The Board found no other formal claims prior to the currently assigned effective dates that would entitle the Veteran to earlier effective dates.,The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss was remanded due to an inadequate medical opinion regarding the etiology of his claimed condition.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as secondary to service-connected psoriasis. The issues of prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction, and a heart condition are remanded for further development.