Ischemic heart disease Board decisions

The Veteran is granted a TDIU from May 19, 2008 to June 10, 2010 due to his service-connected PTSD preventing him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his left knee disability, low back disability, left hip bursitis, PTSD, and CAD were granted. He is now entitled to a separate 10 percent rating for arthritis in the left knee since October 2009.

The Veteran's service connection for organic heart disease with proximal atrial fibrillation and mitral valve prolapse is protected, as it has been in place for more than ten years. The Veteran's hypertensive vascular disease is currently being evaluated.

The Board found that the Veteran's heart disorder did not have its onset in service or within one year of service, and is not etiologically related to his active service.

The Board found no evidence of a current disability related to service for sleep apnea and heart condition.,Service connection was denied as there is insufficient medical evidence linking the Veteran's current conditions to his military service.

The Veteran has withdrawn all his appeals, including those for higher rating for PTSD, service connection for stroke and testicle cancer, and TDIU. The appeal is dismissed.

The Veteran's cause of death, kidney failure, was found to be related to his service-connected PTSD and the underlying conditions of diabetes mellitus, type II, ischemic heart disease, and cirrhosis of the liver. As these conditions are presumed due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam, service connection for the cause of death is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, coronary artery disease, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss, result in a combined 80 percent evaluation and preclude him from engaging in substantially gainful employment. The criteria for entitlement to a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities are met.

The Board has determined that a supplemental medical opinion is needed due to new evidence received since the February 2009 VA examination, which suggests the Veteran may have hypertensive heart disease secondary to his service-connected hypertension.

The Veteran's death was caused by ischemic heart disease, which is a listed disease associated with exposure to herbicides. Therefore, service connection for the cause of his death is granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the relationship between his current conditions and his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, heart disability, asthma, and stomach disability. The appeals were not granted as there was no credible evidence linking these conditions to service or any presumptive exposure.

The Veteran's depression has been related to his military service and his service-connected tinnitus, warranting service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease (CAD) has been granted, effective from the date of his initial claim. This grant was based on the presumption of exposure to herbicides in Vietnam.

The Board found that the Veteran's death was not caused by any service-connected disability, and thus denied his claim for service connection for the cause of his death.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and a VA examination to address the issues of service connection for heart disability, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, ischemic heart disease, and renal failure. The examiner will assess whether the Veteran has ischemic heart disease based on his exposure to Agent Orange during active service.

The Veteran's SMC claim for need for regular aid and attendance of another person or housebound status due to service-connected disabilities has been denied as there is no evidence showing he requires such assistance.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's heart disorder is related to his service or any service-connected disabilities.

The Board is remanding the case to obtain additional medical records and determine if they impact on the decision regarding service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.

The Board denied service connection for both the Veteran's back injury and cardiovascular disease, including hypertension, coronary artery disease (CAD), and residuals of rheumatic heart disease. The decision is under review.