Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2024

The Board has decided to remand the case due to duty-to-assist errors, including the need for additional treatment records and a VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating higher than 10 percent for hypertension, to include a separate rating for hyperlipidemia is denied. The Veteran's service connection claim for ischemic heart disease (coronary artery disease) is granted on the basis of presumed exposure to herbicides.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for atherosclerotic heart disease with left ventricular hypertrophy associated with herbicide exposure was denied as there is no legal basis to grant such an earlier effective date.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received to warrant readjudication of the claims for service connection for diabetes, coronary artery disease, and sleep apnea. The claims are being remanded due to a failure to obtain VA examinations addressing the Veteran's exposure to industrial solvents and chemicals during service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents during his service in Thailand and therefore grants service connection for coronary artery disease (CAD).

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss, type II diabetes mellitus, and ischemic heart disease (IHD), finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his active duty service. The Board also noted that the Veteran did not claim onset within or shortly after service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient verification of the Veteran's claimed stressors and for further development regarding his acquired psychiatric disorder and heart condition.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, heart disorder, and vertigo are remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his low back disability was denied, and the issue of service connection for heart disease was remanded.

The Board denied service connection for prostate cancer, heart disease (including atrial fibrillation and ischemic heart disease), and erectile dysfunction. The Veteran was not shown to have been exposed to herbicide agents during his service aboard the U.S.S. INTREPID.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and determining if the Veteran's heart condition warrants a higher rating.

The Board has dismissed the claims for service connection of a heart disability, left knee disability, COPD, and skin cancer. The heart condition claim was already granted by the AOJ.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a heart condition and TDIU due to inadequate compliance with previous remand directives. The heart conditions include CAD, atherosclerosis, and hypertensive heart disease. The exposure basis is not applicable as there was no ionizing radiation exposure during service. The issues are being remanded to obtain opinions on the nature and etiology of the heart conditions and their impact on employment.

The Veteran's appeals for a higher rating for coronary artery disease, service connection for arthritis in joints, and service connection for gall bladder removal are all remanded due to procedural errors.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II, and a heart disability were dismissed because the appeal was improperly docketed due to administrative error. The Veteran had not yet been issued a rating decision in regard to his July 2023 supplemental claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis, PTSD, and a heart disability have been granted with effective dates of June 3, 2022.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease was granted with an effective date of March 18, 2008.

The Veteran's cause of death and ischemic heart disease are granted as service-connected due to herbicide exposure in Thailand. The Veteran served at U-Tapao Airfield, where he had close contact with aircraft.

The Board has remanded the case due to an error in not performing a Nehmer review of the Veteran's July 1986 claim for service connection for chest pain, which was construed as a claim for coronary artery disease.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, hypertension, and heart conditions, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted entitlement to total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).