Ischemic heart disease Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to a service-connected disability, denied service connection for tinnitus and heart condition, and denied service connection for low back disability. The Veteran's claim for increased rating of cervical spine disability is denied, but the issue of entitlement to an initial compensable rating for right upper extremity radiculopathy from June 19, 2017, and left upper extremity radiculopathy remains pending.

The appeal with respect to the Veteran’s entitlement to service connection for atrial fibrillation (claimed as a heart condition), to include as due to exposure to herbicide agents, is dismissed. The RO denied service connection for an enlarged prostate in October 2017 and continued current disability ratings for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, DJD of the right knee, and right knee instability in May 2018. The Veteran asked that his appeal with respect to entitlement to service connection for a heart condition be canceled prior to promulgation of a Board decision.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for heart condition, hypertension, and COPD due to incomplete records and insufficient medical opinions. The AOJ is required to obtain additional records from Detroit VAMC and Dr. Boren, as well as a new opinion on whether any heart condition meets the criteria for ischemic heart disease (IHD) and if it is etiologically related to service, including herbicide agent exposure. An etiological opinion regarding hypertension is also needed. The AOJ must issue a SOC for the claim of service connection for COPD.

The Board denied service connection for a heart disorder, finding that the Veteran's bicuspid aortic valve and PFO are congenital defects not subject to superimposed disease or injury during service. The coronary artery disease (CAD) is considered a common disease with no correlation to service or chemical exposures.

The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for various conditions, including residuals of pneumonia, heart disease, bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, gastroenteritis, irritable bowel syndrome, diverticulitis, and GERD. The Veteran's claim is being reviewed again due to new evidence submitted since previous decisions.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical evidence on whether the Veteran's heart conditions are related to his in-service herbicide exposure. The examiner is asked to provide a supplemental opinion addressing this issue.

The Board denied service connection for heart disorder, hypertension, and squamous cell carcinoma as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions began during active service or were related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for heart disability, hypertension, and residuals of a tumor removal to include as due to exposure to herbicides. The AOJ is instructed to obtain additional opinions addressing these matters.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected coronary heart disease and diabetes mellitus, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of compliance with previous remand instructions and for further development, including a VA examination.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 are denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for cataracts, heart disability, hypertension, renal cell carcinoma, and skin disability/cancer due to exposure to non-ionizing radiation and/or solvents.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions were denied as there was no evidence showing a nexus between his active service and the claimed disabilities, except for bilateral toenail removal which is not considered etiologically related to service.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to their death, and the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims have been recertified prematurely and the RO should complete the previously requested development before returning it to the Board.

Service Connection for Diabetes Mellitus, Type II: The Veteran's claim is denied as there is no current diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, type II, during the appeal period.,Compensable Initial Rating for Scars, Left Thigh: The Veteran's service-connected scars are rated noncompensably disabling due to their superficial nature and lack of painful or unstable characteristics.,Earlier Effective Date for Coronary Artery Disease: The claim for an earlier effective date is denied as the claim was received more than one year after separation from service.

The Veteran's nonischemic coronary artery disease (CAD) is presumed to be related to herbicide agent exposure during service in Vietnam. The claim for bone pain is remanded and requires further examination.

The Veteran's initial evaluation for coronary artery disease is denied as his condition does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,The Veteran's evaluations for abdominal muscle injuries and wounds with laceration to liver and spleen are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations.

The Board has determined that DIC benefits are not warranted due to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD not meeting the criteria for total disability rating for 10 or more years immediately preceding death. The cause of death is remanded as there is insufficient evidence regarding whether the service-connected PTSD caused or contributed substantially to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection of ischemic heart disease.