Ischemic heart disease Board decisions

The Board has granted a 100% disability rating for the Veteran's service-connected valvular heart disease, implanted cardiac pacemaker and heart block with mild LV hypertrophy effective from July 17, 2023. The effective date is based on the factually ascertainable increase in the Veteran's condition as of that date.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of January 31, 2021 for the grant of a TDIU due to service-connected Ischemic Heart Disease. The Veteran's disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment prior to this effective date.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent for ischemic heart disease is denied. The Veteran's residuals of bladder cancer with chronic kidney disease and urinary incontinence are rated at 60 percent, which is the maximum allowed under current criteria. The Veteran's lumbosacral spine disability remains at 20 percent. A TDIU from September 8, 2021 is granted.

The Veteran's claims for coronary artery disease, prostate cancer residuals, and immunoglobulin deficiency are denied as there is no evidence of in-service injury or disease.,Service connection for erectile dysfunction is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for specially adapted housing due to his current combined rating of 60 percent, which does not include any permanent and total disability that precludes locomotion without assistive devices or loss of use of both upper or lower extremities.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type II, and hypertension due to the Veteran's death.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's heart condition, including its relationship to service and toxic exposure risk activities. The case will be returned for further examination and opinion.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for fatigue, heart, weakness and balance, and sleep disabilities due to Gulf War Illness. The VA is instructed to ensure that all records are complete and correct, obtain missing service treatment records from December 1990 to May 1991, and schedule the Veteran for new VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to his exposure to herbicide agents, as he was previously denied in a May 2016 rating decision. The appeals are now pending and require further development including obtaining medical opinions and records.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, heart condition, and various types of neuropathy due to a lack of evidence supporting exposure to herbicide agents or toxic chemicals during the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for his heart condition (claimed as exacerbation of heart murmur and atrial fibrillation) is being remanded due to a failure to provide notice of the right to a hearing before VA.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's Ischemic Heart Disease and dismissed the claim of Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) as moot.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a mental health disability and coronary artery disease due to herbicide exposure were granted in the January 17, 2023 rating decision. The appellant is eligible to attorney fees based on past-due benefits awarded in this decision.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date prior to July 20, 2023, for the grant of service connection for his heart disability. The claim was filed on July 20, 2023, and there were no unadjudicated claims or documents indicating intent to file a claim for benefits related to a heart disability before that date.

The Veteran's service connection for coronary artery disease was initially granted based on presumed exposure to herbicide agents while in South Korea. However, the Board found this grant was erroneous due to a lack of evidence of exposure during the presumptive period and remanded for further investigation into direct exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for a heart condition as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected hypertension.

The Board has determined that new medical opinions are required for the Veteran's hypertension, GERD, fatigue (claimed as chronic fatigue syndrome), joint pain (claimed as fibromyalgia), and heart disorder claims due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for a heart condition, bilateral eye conditions (including as secondary to a service-connected disability), and a neck condition (also including as secondary to a service-connected disability) due to inadequate medical opinions in the previous VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient compliance with previous instructions. The Veteran's Bell's palsy, coronary artery disease, and hypertension are being reviewed for secondary service connection.

The Board has determined that the VA examinations conducted in accordance with previous remand directives are inadequate and requires further examination to determine service connection for coronary artery disease (CAD) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).