Ischemic heart disease Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy, make it impossible for him to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased disability rating greater than 60 percent for CAD with palpitations has been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal before a decision was made.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions and additional development is necessary before a decision may be rendered on the appealed issues of service connection for cause of the Veteran's death; and entitlement to DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for gout has been dismissed. The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for COPD, IHD, prostate cancer, type II diabetes, and peripheral neuropathy due to his exposure to herbicide agents during service in the South China Sea.

The Board has granted an effective date of March 20, 2002 for the award of service connection for ischemic heart disease/CAD/atriial fibrillation/dilated cardiomyopathy due to the Veteran's presumed exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for heart disease as secondary to his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of heat exhaustion, to include a heart condition is denied as the evidence does not establish a causal relationship between his in-service episodes of heat exhaustion and his current heart conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions, including coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, toe amputations, and an acquired psychiatric disability are all granted. The issues of service connection for upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, back disability, sleep apnea, hypertension, benign prostatic hypertrophy, kidney disability (hematuria), and GERD and tinea corporis remain pending.

The Veteran's initial increased ratings for diabetes mellitus type 2 and coronary artery disease have been denied.,The Veteran's service connection claims for erectile dysfunction, as well as the effective dates of his service connection for diabetes mellitus type 2 and coronary artery disease, are being remanded.

The Veteran is granted service connection for coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus type II due to herbicide exposure during service.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability (depression) is also granted as secondary to his now service-connected coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus type II.

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions, including degenerative joint disease, diabetes mellitus type II, diabetic neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, hypertension, coronary artery disease, benign prostatic hyperplasia, status post penis carcinoma, and right shoulder status post lipoma. The claims are based on direct service connection rather than presumptive exposure to herbicides.

The Veteran's service connection claim for coronary artery disease is granted as it is presumed to be caused by herbicide exposure during his service aboard the U.S.S. Bennington.

The Board has determined that additional medical opinions are needed to address the Veteran's claims for bilateral knee, right ankle, left hip, low back strain, acquired psychiatric disability (including PTSD), and headaches conditions as they may be related to his service-connected flat feet condition.,For the heart condition claim, a new VA examination is required due to conflicting in-service medical records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, have precluded him from substantially gainful occupation since May 24, 2013. An earlier effective date of May 24, 2013 for the award of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart condition, an increased rating for pulmonary thromboembolism, and TDIU due to service-connected residuals of pulmonary thromboembolism. The decision found that there was no evidence of a heart condition or any other disability that would warrant these claims.

The Veteran's appeals for erectile dysfunction, scar associated with CAD, and renal dysfunction were dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing his appeal before a decision was made.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease was denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition.,Service connection for neck cancer, presumed due to herbicide exposure, was also denied because the disability did not manifest within one year after separation from service and is not etiologically related to service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals on all issues related to service connection and increased rating for various conditions, including low back disability, right and left leg disabilities, OSA, heart condition, hypertension, headaches, insomnia, and psychotic disorder.

The rating for hypertensive heart disease was reduced from 100% to 30% effective August 1, 2013. The reduction was improper and the rating is restored to 100%. A subsequent reduction to 60% effective December 11, 2018, was proper.

The Veteran's death was not caused by any service-connected disability, and the evidence does not support a finding that his hypertension or cardiovascular-renal disease (including hypertension) began in service.