Ischemic heart disease Board decisions

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus type II due to potential exposure to Agent Orange during military service. The RO should obtain a TERA opinion considering all applicable exposures, including asbestos and ignited substances.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the PACT Act requiring a TERA-specific examination and secondary service connection evaluations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for DMII, CAD, and ED are granted. The conditions are presumed to be related to herbicide exposure during his service in Korea.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bradyarrhythmia status post dual-chamber pacemaker placement, coronary artery disease, and diabetes mellitus, type 2 due to a failure to verify the Veteran's reported herbicide agent exposure during service. The AOJ is instructed to take all appropriate steps to verify this exposure and issue a TERA memorandum regarding toxic exposures.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for SMC at the intermediate rate between (m) and (n), finding that his PTSD and OSA are not separate and distinct from each other, thus preventing concurrent use of 38 C.F.R. � 3.350(f)(3) and 38 C.F.R. � 3.350(f)(4).

The Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease as due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam was granted with an effective date of September 10, 2025.

The Veteran was granted service connection for hypertension, atrial fibrillation, and valvular heart disease with right sided heart failure and left ventricular hypertrophy effective August 10, 2022. The effective date is based on the presumption of herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for Parkinson's disease, bladder cancer, and heart disease due to a duty to assist error in failing to consider potential toxic exposure risk activity (TERA) based on the Veteran's military occupational specialty (MOS).

The Board has remanded the claims for hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and ischemic heart disease due to conflicting findings regarding herbicide exposure during service. The AOJ is instructed to provide a reconciled TERA memorandum addressing whether the Veteran participated in a TERA and if so, whether they were exposed to herbicide agents.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a duty-to-assist error and missing VA examinations. The Veteran is required to undergo another examination to address his claimed disabilities of heart and extremities, including arteries and veins.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for cause of death due to acute respiratory failure and subdural hematoma, finding that no service-connected disability contributed substantially or materially to his death. The Veteran served in Vietnam but there is no evidence of a service-connected condition related to Agent Orange exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection due to lack of evidence supporting an earlier date than April 22, 2014.

The Board dismissed the appeal regarding the proposed effective date for the evaluation of coronary artery disease, angina, cardiomyopathy, myocardial infarction, status post CABG, hypertensive heart disease due to it being premature.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating higher than 30 percent for coronary artery disease and old myocardial infarction has been dismissed. The claim of entitlement to a compensable rating (10%) for deviated septum is granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for heart disability, lower back disability, right hip disability, and left hip disability due to lack of a current disability. The Board also remanded the issues regarding lower back and hip disabilities for further examination and medical nexus opinions.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart condition and OSA due to duty-to-assist errors, inadequate examinations, and insufficient medical opinions. The case will be returned for further development.

The Veteran is granted SMC at the (o) rate based on his service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and other conditions. He also meets the criteria for SMC at the (r)(1) level due to need for regular aid and attendance.

The Veteran's claims for a compensable disability rating for scar, status post coronary artery bypass graft and service connection for sinusitis were denied. The Board found no current disabilities for either condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetic nephropathy, coronary artery disease, PTSD, diabetes mellitus type II, and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted the TDIU.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and effective dates have been granted, with the exception of some issues which were remanded. Effective from February 2, 2023, he is now eligible for SMC based on loss of use of a creative organ, earlier effective date for diabetes mellitus type II, and service connection for various conditions including PTSD, heart disorder, GERD, and gout.