Ischemic heart disease Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to January 27, 2011. The Board denied the claim for TDIU based on the evidence showing that his service-connected conditions did not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board found that there is no evidence of a current disability (hypertension) in service or within one year following separation, and the Veteran did not provide credible evidence linking his current condition to service. The Board also determined that hypertension was not proximately due to or aggravated by service-connected diabetes mellitus or CAD.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to a lack of verification of herbicide exposure and for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records.

The Veteran is granted service connection for coronary artery disease and hypertensive heart disease, but the effective date cannot be earlier than February 9, 2007.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder has been granted and assigned a rating based on his secondary service-connected disabilities. The claims for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and ischemic heart disease have also been granted as they are presumed to be related to herbicide exposure.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma has been granted based on presumptive exposure to herbicides. The claims for chronic lymphocytic leukemia and ischemic heart disease have also been granted under the same presumption of exposure.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic lymphocytic leukemia has been granted as a result of presumed exposure to herbicides during his military service. The claim for ischemic heart disease has also been granted based on this same presumption.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease has been granted due to the presumptive link between herbicide exposure and this condition. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia have not been linked to his military service in this manner.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease, peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, and erectile dysfunction have been denied as they are not related to his military service or herbicide exposure.,Service connection cannot be granted because there is no evidence of a chronic disease in service. The Veteran has not provided any credible evidence that he was exposed to herbicides during his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type II, tinnitus, and depression, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted the claim for Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease, and impotency/erectile dysfunction have been denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a heart disability related to his active service and therefore denied the claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that additional Compensation and Pension (C&P) examinations are necessary to determine the Veteran's heart condition, lymph node condition, and respiratory condition claims. The case is REMANDED for these purposes.

The Veteran's combined service-connected disabilities render him unemployable, and the Board grants his claim for TDIU.

The Veteran's heart conditions, including atrial fibrillation and mild to moderate aortic stenosis, were not found to be related to his service or due to exposure to herbicides. Service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Board finds the Veteran has coronary artery disease, which is presumed to be due to herbicide exposure in service. Therefore, the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for a heart disorder, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus type II, left ankle sprain, and right ankle sprain. The Veteran's current diagnoses of chronic sinusitis, ulcerative colitis, mechanical low back pain and degenerative joint disease of the thoracic spine, and radiculopathy of the lower extremities have been assigned initial ratings.

The Board finds that the Veteran's cause of death was due to exposure to extreme cold during service, specifically his participation in the Ardennes Campaign. Therefore, service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is granted.

The Board has determined that an effective date earlier than July 30, 2010 for the awards of service connection for coronary artery disease and hypertension is not warranted as there was no informal claim or written intent to file a claim prior to this date.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including the submission of new evidence and review of VA treatment records. The case will be returned to the Board for further action.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cardiac disability, including coronary artery disease and arrhythmia, is not proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD. Therefore, service connection for these conditions as secondary to PTSD is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities meet the criteria for a TDIU, but further examination is needed to determine if he is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.