Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2025

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment from August 10, 2021.

The Board dismissed all claims for service connection and increased ratings due to the Veteran's death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board granted service connection for hypertension, coronary artery disease, asthma, transient ischemic attack, neurocognitive disorder (dementia), and acquired psychiatric disorder (other specified depressive disorder) but denied service connection for renal toxicity. Several issues were remanded.

The Board granted service connection for a kidney disability, lung disability, and heart disability based on the Veteran's conceded toxic exposure risk activity (TERA) during active military service.

The Board dismissed the veteran's claims for service connection and ratings for various conditions, as well as appeals related to an earlier effective date for a disability rating.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for coronary artery disease and hypertensive heart disease, including as secondary to service-connected PTSD, and entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to April 6, 2016, due to an unclear opinion regarding aggravation.

The Board remands the claims for a heart condition, hypertension, and obstructive sleep apnea to develop an Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record (ILER) to determine whether the Veteran was exposed to herbicides in Southwest Asia.

The Board granted service connection for unspecified depressive disorder and other specified anxiety disorder, but denied or remanded the claims for service connection for a recurrent temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disability, prostatitis, erectile dysfunction, left elbow disability, esophageal disability to include GERD, gastrointestinal disability to include IBS, headache disability, right shoulder disability, heart disability, bilateral foot disability, and compensable ratings for hemorrhoids and allergic rhinitis.

The Board remands the claims for further development, including obtaining medical opinions to address the nature and etiology of the claimed conditions and their relationship to service-connected disabilities.

The Board granted service connection for hypertension, ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus type II, right lower extremity neuropathy, and left lower extremity neuropathy based on presumed exposure to herbicide agents during the Vietnam War era.

The Board denied service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus, hypertension, IHD, and erectile dysfunction as the weight of the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to the Veteran's active duty service.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to service connection for a heart disability and hypertension due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's in-service exposure.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities was granted.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and CAD to obtain a TERA memorandum that addresses whether the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents or other toxic exposure events while in service.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for a heart disability to correct duty-to-assist errors, including obtaining relevant private records and scheduling an examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disability, finding no evidence of a current disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart condition, including non-obstructive cardiomyopathy, as the evidence did not support a finding that his current heart conditions were related to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for all the claimed conditions as there was no evidence of a current disability in any of them.

The Board remands the claims for an increased rating, earlier effective date, and TDIU due to inadequate VA examinations.

The Board remands the claims for an increased rating and earlier effective date for the Veteran's heart disability, an increased rating for prostate cancer, SMC based on the need for aid and attendance, and an earlier effective date for TDIU due to inadequate VA examinations.