Ischemic heart disease Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a chronic heart disorder/ischemic heart disease, his right and left foot hallux valgus do not meet criteria for separate ratings, his back disability does not warrant a rating in excess of 20 percent prior to October 21, 2013, or from July 27, 2014, and his duodenal ulcer did not meet criteria for increased ratings.

The Board found that the Veteran's hypertension and heart disability were not incurred or aggravated by service, as there was no in-service injury or disease related to these conditions. The preexisting hypertension noted at service entrance did not increase in severity during active duty.

The Board's February 2014 decision denying service connection for a right arm/shoulder disorder is dismissed as the Veteran did not file a timely Notice of Disagreement.

The Veteran's service-connected Ischemic Heart Disease and Tinnitus do not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's heart disorder, including coronary artery disease (CAD), is presumed to have been caused by his herbicide exposure in service.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for diabetes mellitus, Type II, due to herbicide exposure. The Veteran's current diagnosis is diabetes mellitus, Type II, which is an herbicide-presumptive disease.

The Veteran died from colon cancer, a nonservice-connected condition. The appellant argues that his death was caused by ischemic heart disease, which is service-connected. The Board needs to review the medical records and provide an opinion on whether the cause of death should be attributed to ischemic heart disease or colon cancer.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a videoconference hearing at the Hartford RO. The issues of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, osteoporosis, and PTSD are still pending.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disorder, including atherosclerotic heart disease, is being remanded due to the need for additional development and examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's ischemic heart disease and hypertension are related to his service, specifically due to herbicide exposure near the air base perimeter in Thailand. The claim for hypertension is remanded as additional development is needed.

The Board has granted service connection for ischemic heart disease and diabetes mellitus, type II as a result of herbicide exposure in Thailand. The claim for skin cancer on the head is denied due to lack of current diagnosis.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development and medical inquiry, including a VA examination to evaluate his hearing loss and heart condition.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including examinations and clarification of opinions regarding his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (including his lumbar spine disorder) precluded him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation prior to March 26, 2015.

The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease has been rated at 30 percent since June 1, 2011. The rating is based on the criteria for ischemic heart disease with a workload of greater than 5 METs but not greater than 7 METs.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding the issues of whether new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen a claim of entitlement to service connection for hypertension, and entitlement to service connection for a heart disability.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, cervical spine disorder, low back disorder, and ischemic heart disease were denied. The claim for service connection for PTSD was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence. Bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not found to be related to service or presumptively presumed under VA regulations.

The Board found that the Veteran's coronary artery disease did not have its onset during service, was not caused by service, and was not caused or chronically worsened by his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not combine to preclude substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50 percent, effective June 10, 2014. The Board finds that a higher rating of 70 percent is warranted for his PTSD due to symptoms such as suicidal ideation and near-continuous panic or depression affecting the ability to function independently.