Ischemic heart disease decisions — 2026

The Veteran's eligibility for VA's PCAFC benefits is being remanded due to insufficient medical opinion supporting the denial of benefits. The Board finds that the Veteran requires personal care services and supervision, meeting the basic medical eligibility criteria under PCAFC.

The Veteran's service connection for CAD is granted based on the PACT Act. The issue of service connection for CAD on a basis other than the PACT Act remains pending and requires further examination to determine if it can be established as direct service connection.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions including bilateral feet, skeletal arthritis, back condition (other than arthritis), erectile dysfunction, hypertension, and heart condition. The evidence did not support a finding of current disabilities or a causal relationship to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for special monthly compensation on both the basis of housebound status and need for aid and attendance, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not meet the criteria for either benefit.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of coronary artery disease has been dismissed due to his death while the appeal was pending.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to procedural errors in the pre-decisional duty to assist.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance/housebound is being remanded due to a duty to assist error. The case will be returned to the RO for further examination and consideration.

Service connection for migraines has been granted.,The previously denied claim for service connection for acute, subacute or old myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease is being readjudicated on the merits.,Service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome is remanded.

The Board denied the appellant's request for attorney fees based on past-due benefits awarded in the May 2024 rating decision, as the claims were not related to service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions due to a lack of VA examinations and consideration of all relevant evidence, including his National Guard service.

The Veteran's heart disability is rated at 100% and he has other disabilities that combine to 60%, meeting the criteria for Special Monthly Compensation based on statutory housebound status.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension and a heart disability, including coronary artery disease, implanted cardiac pacemaker, implanted automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator, ventricular tachycardia, congestive heart failure, cardiac arrhythmia, and cardiomyopathy. The evidence shows that the Veteran's hypertension had its onset during active service and is related to his current diagnoses of heart disability.

The appeal for an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for coronary artery disease is dismissed as a duplicate appeal and will be addressed in a separate appeal.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity is denied as there was no prior formal or informal claim submitted before July 2, 2016.

The Veteran's claim for effective dates prior to August 10, 2022 for peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities was denied. The Board found that no new and material evidence had been submitted within one year of the May 2004 rating decision.

The Board restored service connection for the Veteran's claimed conditions as they were previously granted on a presumptive basis due to herbicide exposure, finding that the original decision was not clearly and unmistakably erroneous.

The Board has found that the VA opinions of record are inadequate to fairly adjudicate the claims and requires new opinions on the etiology of the Veteran's claimed conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for coronary artery disease, posttraumatic stress disorder, and dry mouth with tooth loss due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors. The AOJ is instructed to obtain additional treatment records from the Veteran's private cardiologist and non-VA community care providers.

Your appeal has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death. The claims for service connection on all listed conditions are not before the Board.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the severity of the Veteran's service-connected cardiac disabilities for the period on appeal, particularly as it relates to symptoms of breathlessness attributed to his service-connected disability.