Ischemic heart disease Board decisions

The Veteran's coronary artery disease is presumed to be due to herbicide exposure during his service in Vietnam, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Board found that the evidence did not support an extension of a temporary total disability evaluation beyond March 31, 2007 for convalescence following heart surgery on December 8, 2006. The Veteran's claim for increased rating for coronary artery disease was also denied.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date before April 2, 1990, for the grant of service connection for coronary artery disease as secondary to service-connected partial thyroidectomy with thyroid replacement and exophthalmia was denied. The Board found that no earlier effective date could be granted due to the abandonment of the original claim after one year.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure, as well as for bilateral below the knee amputations. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and further development is needed before a final decision can be made on the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disorder.

The Veteran's GERD is presumed to have been incurred in service due to exposure to herbicides. However, the current disorder was not linked to his military service and there is no evidence of a link between other claimed conditions and service.

The Board found that the Veteran's diabetes, hypertension, heart disorder, tinnitus, insomnia, sleep apnea, depression, and GERD were not incurred or aggravated by his active military service. The claims for these conditions are therefore denied.

The Veteran's type II diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities are presumed to have been incurred in service due to herbicide exposure. The Board finds that he likely went ashore while stationed aboard his ship, thus qualifying for presumptive service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's preexisting rheumatic heart disease did not increase in severity during his periods of active duty and was presumed to have existed prior to service. As a result, the claim for service connection is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's heart disorder is related to his service-connected generalized anxiety disorder, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including a heart disability, amoebic dysentery or Giardia dysentery, left and right ear hearing loss, hypertension, GERD, gout, degenerative joint disease of the knees, and spondylolisthesis of L4-5. The Veteran's claims were not supported by sufficient evidence to grant service connection for these conditions.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease secondary to his service-connected hypertension. The remaining issues of increased rating for hypertension, service connection for diabetes mellitus, and service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability are referred back to the RO for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for further evidentiary development due to missing service treatment records and hospital records, as well as incomplete medical history documentation. The Veteran is requested to provide access to his VA medical records and any relevant private medical records.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development to obtain missing service treatment records and VA examination opinions regarding the Veteran's claimed conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's heart disorder and hypertension did not manifest to a compensable degree within one year of discharge from active service, thus denying service connection.

The Veteran's arteriosclerotic heart disease with an old interior wall infarct results in a METs level of 7 or greater, but does not meet the criteria for a higher disability rating. The Veteran has also been granted service connection for other conditions and is currently employed.

The Veteran has been granted service connection for coronary artery disease, which is presumed to be due to herbicide exposure during his military service in the Republic of Vietnam.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including Type II diabetes mellitus and related conditions, coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease of the lower extremities, peripheral neuropathy, erectile dysfunction, and left knee instability, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board finds that he is entitled to a TDIU rating.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is found to be related to his in-service noise exposure as a helicopter pilot, while his tinnitus is considered at least as likely as not caused by this same noise exposure.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine whether the Veteran's service-connected PTSD contributed substantially or materially to his death. The appellant contends that her husband's service-connected PTSD caused or contributed to his overall decline in health, including heart problems and cancer.