Ischemic heart disease Board decisions

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as new and material evidence was not submitted to reopen the claims. The Board found that his Merchant Marine service in 1968 did not qualify as active duty U.S. military service, thus VA disability benefits cannot be granted based on this exposure.

The Board found that the Veteran's DM and ischemic heart disease are related to his service, including a period of ACDUTRA. The claims for these conditions were granted.

The Veteran's claims for hypertension, valvular heart disease, and an acquired psychiatric disability are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease with carotid artery disease, hypertension, and bilateral hearing loss, preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of records from the South Carolina National Guard, and further development is required.

The Veteran's chest pain, irregular heartbeat, and heart condition have not been diagnosed. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence is against a finding of a current heart condition.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease is recognized as being caused by exposure to herbicides during service in Vietnam, and thus service connection is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining a secondary service connection opinion for sleep apnea and issuing a statement of the case regarding his claims.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining STRs from the Veteran's second period of service and providing a medical opinion regarding whether hypertension had its onset during service or is related to service. The issues on appeal are entitlement to service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death and entitlement to service connection for chronic multi-symptom illness (CMI) for accrued benefits purposes based upon a claim pending at the time of the Veteran's death.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed coronary artery disease is not related to service or a service-connected disability, and therefore, denied the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected heart disability has rendered him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU.

The Board found that the Veteran's current heart disability did not have an onset during his period of service and is not related to any in-service complaints. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding of service connection.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to conflicting medical opinions and inextricably intertwined issues.

The Veteran's cardiovascular disorders were not incurred or aggravated by his active service, including due to presumed herbicide exposure or secondary to his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's tinnitus is related to active service and has been granted. The heart disorder, erectile dysfunction, and prostate cancer are presumed due to herbicide exposure during service.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed conditions, including hypertension, migraine headaches, heart disease, and kidney disease, were not incurred or aggravated by service. The evidence did not support a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms are rated at 100 percent effective September 22, 2004. SMC based on housebound status is granted effective from the same date. The TDIU claim is dismissed as moot due to the grant of a 100% rating for PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the Veteran's DM was rated appropriately, but his PTSD warranted a higher rating from May 14, 2008.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease, claimed as secondary to Agent Orange exposure, is being remanded due to the need for a video conference hearing.