Ischemic heart disease Board decisions

The Veteran's cardiovascular disabilities, including atrial fibrillation and coronary artery disease, are being remanded for further examination to determine their etiology.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete medical opinions and the need for additional evidence regarding the Veteran's heart disabilities, including whether they are related to service or any prescribed medications.

The Board has remanded the claims for neurological disorder, bilateral lower extremity neuropathy, heart condition, and acquired psychiatric disorder due to duty-to-assist errors. The Veteran's service connection claims are being remanded for further development including VA examinations.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease (CAD) on a direct basis, finding that his participation in toxic exposure related activities while on active duty caused or aggravated his CAD. The decision is based on medical evidence and does not involve any presumption of service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date and a compensable evaluation for coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support these claims based on the pre-amended rating criteria.

The Board has remanded the appellant's claims for hypertension, PTSD, diabetes mellitus, type II, heart disability, and arteriosclerosis obliterans due to unavailability of service treatment records and personnel records. The VA is required to schedule the appellant for appropriate examinations to determine the probable nature, date(s) of initial onset, and etiology/etiologies of his claimed disabilities.

The Veteran's heart condition, including ischemic heart disease (IHD), is granted service connection due to herbicide exposure during his service in Thailand under the PACT Act.

The Board has remanded the claims for earlier effective dates due to conflicting evidence regarding the Veteran's service exposure and the need to verify the vessel's position on or near April 5, 1969. The appeal is based on presumptive exposure under the PACT Act.

The Board has found that there has not been substantial compliance with the prior Board remand directives and has therefore remanded the cases for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's service connection claims for coronary artery disease and type II diabetes mellitus are granted as they are presumed to be related to his in-service herbicide exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for PTSD, shell fragment wound of the left forearm, and coronary artery disease, as well as his claim for TDIU due to failure to provide adequate reasons or bases in its July 2022 decision. The issues have been remanded for further development including obtaining private treatment records from UVA Stuarts Draft Family Practice and employment records from the Virginia Department of Corrections.

The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses for July 11-13, 2011 at St. Thomas Hospital are granted as the treatment was in a 'medical emergency' and VA facilities were not feasibly available.

The Veteran's diagnosed coronary artery disease is presumed to be related to his military service due to herbicide exposure, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of migraine headaches, right lower extremity neuropathy, or left lower extremity neuropathy. The Veteran's service treatment records show complaints of headaches and back pain but no diagnoses of these conditions.,For his heart condition and defibrillator implant, the Board finds that an addendum opinion is needed to address whether there is a relationship between the Veteran's current conditions and his service-connected hypertension.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for obstructive sleep apnea, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) with Barrett's Disease, a heart condition, and melanoma due to additional development being necessary.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disorder, finding that there is no evidence of an in-service injury or disease and insufficient lay statements to establish a nexus between current heart issues and service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection must be remanded again due to insufficient information regarding his in-service exposure to herbicide agents and further development is needed for examinations related to his claimed disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart condition and prostate cancer, finding insufficient evidence to support presumptive service connection based on herbicide exposure in Korea. The Veteran is directed to provide additional information about his duty locations during service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his spine disability and PTSD, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment since December 12, 2022. The effective date for the TDIU is set at December 12, 2022.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to errors in the September 2020 VA examination and clarification opinion, which did not address whether CAD caused or aggravated aortic aneurysm and/or aortic valve disease. The Veteran's service-connected CAD is currently rated at 10 percent.