Ischemic heart disease Board decisions

The Board denied service connection for bilateral DJD of the hands and heart disease to include CAD, finding no evidence of current diagnoses or a causal relationship between these conditions and service.,For DJD of the left knee, the Veteran received an initial evaluation of 10 percent based on X-ray evidence of arthritis with painful or limited motion. The Board denied any higher evaluations.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on all issues have been dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Veteran's IHD, including CAD, is rated at 30% since July 7, 2014. Prior to that date, a higher rating was denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding his claimed stressors and exposure to herbicide agents. The claims are being returned for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD has been rated at 70 percent since September 2013, and he is unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his PTSD. Effective September 13, 2013, the Veteran also had other service-connected disabilities independently ratable at 60 percent or more, qualifying him for SMC at the housebound rate.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records, specifically the Veteran's OPM disability retirement records. The TDIU claim will be reconsidered with these records.

The Veteran's headaches are granted as secondary to his service-connected anxiety disorder with anxiety and depressed mood.,Tinnitus is remanded for a VA audiometric examination to determine its etiology.,Obstructive sleep apnea is remanded for an updated VA examination and medical opinion considering the Veteran’s specific medical history.,Heart condition and high blood pressure are remanded for a VA examination and medical opinion addressing their relationship with service-connected conditions.,Adjustment disorder with anxiety and depressed mood remains at issue, requiring an updated VA psychiatric examination.,Right knee instability and degenerative changes with internal derangement remain at issue, requiring an updated VA examination.,Left thigh scar and right hand scarring are remanded for increased ratings based on the Veteran's current medical records.,TDIU is remanded due to the Veteran’s service-connected conditions impacting his employment.,Whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for any lung disorder remains at issue.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's CAD and diabetes are related to his active service or secondary to his service-connected peripheral arterial disease.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, type 2 and ischemic heart disease as the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of these conditions.

The Board has denied service connection for diabetes mellitus type II (DM) and remanded the issue of service connection for ischemic heart disease (IHD) due to exposure to asbestos. The Veteran's claim for DM is denied as there is no evidence linking it to his military service, including herbicide exposure. For IHD, a VA medical opinion is needed to determine if it is related to asbestos exposure.

The Veteran's death was caused by metastatic gastric cancer, and ischemic heart disease is a significant contributing condition. The Board has remanded the claims for further development to determine if the Veteran’s service-connected frostbite residuals contributed to his coronary artery disease.

The Veteran's heart condition and diabetes mellitus type II are being remanded for further investigation due to potential exposure to herbicide agents during service.

The petition to reopen the claim of service connection for hearing loss is granted. Service connection for ischemic heart disease or coronary artery disease, hypertension, and hemorrhagic cerebrovascular accidents and seizures are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for coronary artery disease (CAD) is denied as there was no prior claim before October 27, 2013. The Veteran's claim for a higher initial disability rating for CAD is remanded due to lack of recent VA examination.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease is service connected, and it was a contributing cause of his death.

The Veteran's claim for an increased disability evaluation in excess of 60 percent for service-connected coronary artery disease with atrial fibrillation was denied. The Board found that the Veteran’s condition did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 7005. Additionally, the Veteran's TDIU claim from November 2015 was granted due to his inability to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's death was caused by a stroke, which is not service-connected and did not manifest within one year of separation. The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including an earlier effective date for tinnitus and ischemic heart disease (congestive heart failure), as well as a disability rating for ischemic heart disease. The effective dates remain pending.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease was received on November 30, 2012. The effective date of the award is set at one year from the date of receipt of the original claim, which is November 30, 2011.

The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 30 percent for arteriosclerotic coronary artery disease (CAD) with bypass is remanded due to the failure to appear for a VA examination scheduled on remand. The Board will schedule another VA examination.