Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2026

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension, COPD, diabetes mellitus type II, diabetic neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities, OSA, left and right below knee amputations, bilateral lower extremity scars, and CAD as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected diabetes mellitus type II.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is granted a 100% rating, and the appeal for an increased rating of their service-connected cardiac condition is dismissed. The Veteran is also granted TDIU based on their service-connected PTSD.

The Board has denied service connection for coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, and erectile dysfunction. The claim of service connection for back disability was dismissed as untimely.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection on all listed conditions has been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal.

The Veteran's heart conditions and PTSD were rated at their highest levels (100% for heart conditions, 70% for PTSD) effective December 11, 2019. Additionally, the Veteran was granted benefits related to his disabilities.

The Veteran's initial claim for a heart disability was received on June 14, 2000. The Board has denied entitlement to an earlier effective date for the grant of a 100 percent rating for his heart disability and eligibility for DEA under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35.

The Veteran's PTSD is related to service and granted.,The Veteran's heart condition, claimed as a heart attack, is remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinion and failure to provide proper notice of the decision.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted effective September 18, 2023. Effective that date, the Veteran also becomes eligible for DEA benefits and has an effective date of service connection for various conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease, finding that there was no evidence showing it was incurred or aggravated during his active duty service. The Board also found insufficient evidence to support a claim based on Reserve service.

The Board has found that the Veteran is not eligible for PCAFC benefits due to a lack of personal care services. The case is being remanded to obtain an adequate medical opinion from the Centralized Eligibility and Appeals Team (CEAT) regarding the Veteran's need for personal care services, supervision, or instruction.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's request for reconsideration of his service connection claim and the related TDIU claim due to procedural errors in adjudicating these issues.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disorder was denied in May 2017. The VA received the Veteran's intent to file a claim on June 26, 2024, and awarded service connection based on presumed herbicide agent exposure in Guam under the PACT Act. However, an effective date prior to June 26, 2023 is denied as it would be earlier than when the Veteran's intent was received.

The Board denied service connection for a recurrent cardiovascular disability, including coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction residuals, finding no evidence of such disabilities during active service or at any time thereafter.

The Board has granted service connection for atrial fibrillation, left carotid artery stenosis, cerebrovascular accident residuals, and valvular heart disease, all of which are presumed to be related to the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents during his Vietnam service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, CAD, and Parkinson's disease, render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted his TDIU claim.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected PTSD and ischemic heart disease disabilities precluded him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment, granting his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's service-connected chronic lymphocytic leukemia and other disabilities did not result in a combined rating of at least 100% for a continuous period of eight years immediately preceding his death, thus denying the claim for enhanced DIC benefits.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher level of special monthly compensation (SMC) was denied as he is already in receipt of the maximum SMC rate due to his service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease and PTSD/MDD at 60% or more.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU from October 1, 2019, due to the combined effects of his service-connected disabilities. His claim for an increased rating for prostate cancer was dismissed as moot since he already receives a 100% disability rating.