Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2025

The Board denied earlier effective dates for the award of a 100 percent rating for PTSD and major depressive disorder, an earlier effective date for TDIU due to service-connected conditions, and a compensable rating for hypertension. The claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and coronary artery disease were remanded.

The Board remands the claim for service connection of a heart condition, to include ischemic heart disease and/or cardiomyopathy due to cardiac amyloidosis, for further development.

The Board granted service connection for arteriosclerotic heart disease, finding that the evidence is within approximate balance that it was caused by toxic exposure during service in Southwest Asia.

The Board granted service connection for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, arteriosclerotic heart disease with an effective date of May 28, 2023, and also granted service connection for color blindness.

The Board granted service connection for coronary artery disease, paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, and sinus node dysfunction as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board granted reconsideration of the issues of entitlement to service connection for basal cell carcinoma, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and bilateral upper and lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy. The claims for these conditions were previously denied but are now being readjudicated due to new evidence.

The Board granted service connection for coronary artery disease (CAD), as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected anxiety, musculoskeletal disabilities, and obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board granted an initial 30 percent rating for the Veteran's service-connected cardiovascular disability, but denied a higher rating from December 15, 2022, through September 14, 2025.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for coronary artery disease, status post myocardial infarction, due to a lack of adequate medical evidence regarding the Veteran's exposure to asbestos during service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, along with his limited education, skills, training, and work history, limit his ability to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. Accordingly, entitlement to a TDIU is granted.

The Board granted service connection for coronary artery disease, a deviated septum, and GERD as secondary to posttraumatic stress disorder. The claim for hypothyroidism was remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities, finding that the evidence did not support a conclusion that his service-connected conditions prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board granted an earlier effective date of February 27, 2023, for the grant of service connection for coronary artery disease (CAD).

The Board denied service connection for heart disease, to include valvular heart disease, finding that the evidence does not support a link between the Veteran's in-service exposure and his current condition.

The Board remands the claims for further development, including new examinations and medical opinions to clarify diagnoses and establish a nexus between the claimed conditions and service-connected disabilities.

The appeal for service connection for diverticulitis and an effective date prior to August 10, 2022 for CAD disability was dismissed due to a concurrent election of review. An initial evaluation in excess of 30 percent for IBS was denied, but an initial evaluation of 60 percent, but no higher, for the period beginning May 22, 2024, but no earlier, for CAD disability was granted.

The Board denied an effective date prior to August 10, 2022 for the award of service connection for valvular heart disease with cardiomyopathy and atrial fibrillation, sleep apnea, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and male testis hypogonadism.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a stomach disorder, HTN, and a heart condition due to the need for additional evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart condition, as there is no evidence of a current diagnosis and the evidence does not support a causal relationship between any in-service incident and a current disability.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for coronary artery disease and obstructive sleep apnea due to a need for an adequate medical opinion considering all conceded exposures.