Ischemic heart disease Board decisions

The Veteran's cause of death, cardiopulmonary arrest secondary to extension of mitral infarction due to or as a consequence of myocardial infarction, atherosclerotic vascular disease, and hyperlipidemia, is found to be service-connected based on exposure to Agent Orange during his time in Vietnam.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for mitral valve prolapse (also claimed as ischemic heart disease) is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and development of records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right carotid artery disease is secondary to his service-connected coronary artery disease, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and TDIU were dismissed due to his death. The CAD rating was increased, but only prior to July 23, 2014.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease is being remanded for further development, including an examination to determine the current severity of his disability.

The Veteran's service connection claim for hypertensive heart disease is being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his history of myocardial infarction and Agent Orange exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, and diabetes mellitus, type II due to exposure to contaminants at Camp Lejeune. The case requires further medical examination and opinion regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate opinion regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected PTSD contributed substantially or materially to his death by causing or aggravating congestive heart failure and coronary artery disease listed on his death certificate. The VA examiner is required to provide a rationale for their opinions, including consideration of long-term effects from 1944 (stressor event) to 2013 (Veteran's death).

The Veteran's claim for hypertension was reopened and granted.,Obstructive sleep apnea is found to be secondary to major depressive disorder.,Service connection for cataracts, left knee degenerative joint disease, right knee degenerative joint disease, chronic right hip strain, and left lower extremity radiculopathy are all granted with effective dates of February 28, 2013.,Coronary artery disease is granted with an effective date of January 28, 2013.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for ischemic heart disease and diabetes mellitus, finding no evidence of herbicide agent exposure in Thailand and insufficient medical nexus to establish a direct relationship with service.

The Veteran's vertigo, claimed as dizzy spells, is not service-connected due to lack of evidence linking the condition to his military service.,Ischemic heart disease and prostate cancer are not service-connected because there is no evidence that they were incurred during or aggravated by service. The Veteran worked in Vietnam but was not exposed to herbicides.,Prostate cancer is also not service-connected as it did not have its onset in service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, coronary artery disease, diabetes, and peripheral neuropathy, render him unemployable due to their severity.

The Veteran's death was attributed to respiratory failure due to COPD, congestive heart disease, and peripheral vascular disease. The Board has remanded the case for an addendum opinion regarding whether his coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus type II contributed to his cause of death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart disability and obstructive sleep apnea need to be remanded due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors regarding the causes or aggravations of these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not result in the loss or loss of use of a hand or foot, permanent vision impairment of both eyes, severe burn injury, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ankylosis of a knee or hip. Therefore, he is not eligible for financial assistance for an automobile and adaptive equipment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, meeting the criteria for a TDIU.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disability and hypertension, both claimed as secondary to PTSD, is granted. The claims are remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's cause of death and his heart condition are related to service, but needs further development including obtaining medical opinions and verifying service records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, and Parkinson's disease due to herbicide exposure. The evidence did not support a finding of herbicide exposure during service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied across multiple conditions, including hearing loss, psychiatric disabilities, back and leg conditions, heart condition, foot conditions, sleep apnea, migraine headaches, gastrointestinal issues, eye conditions, erectile dysfunction, and heat prostration. The Board found no evidence of a causal relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.