Ischemic heart disease Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease was denied in May 2007, and no new evidence or claims were submitted prior to January 16, 2018. The effective date for TDIU and DEA benefits was granted on August 8, 2019, with a retroactive effective date of January 16, 2018.,The Board denied the Veteran's requests for earlier effective dates for service connection, TDIU, and DEA benefits due to lack of prior claims or entitlement.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded for further development, including obtaining SSA medical records and referring the case to the Director, Compensation Service for an extraschedular determination prior to March 18, 2019.

The Board has remanded both service connection claims due to errors in obtaining relevant medical records and verifying the Veteran's service in Guam. The Veteran is presumed exposed to herbicide agents based on his service in Guam.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence supports readjudicating the claims for service connection of diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, and hypertension. The Veteran's assertions include a claim related to an in-service malaria illness, which may be related to these conditions.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to procedural errors in scheduling a VA examination for the Veteran's service-connected ischemic heart disease, which could affect the rating reduction from 100% to 10%. The examiner will assess the current nature and severity of the condition.

The Board has granted service connection for ischemic heart disease, finding that the Veteran was exposed to Agent Orange during his ACDUTRA at Fort Chaffee and thus meeting the presumptive criteria.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as service connected, and it is also found to be secondary to his service-connected coronary artery disease.,The Veteran's coronary artery disease, cardiovascular disease, and quadruple bypass surgery are granted as secondary to his service-connected hypertension.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to procedural errors in the initial decision. The right hip claim is denied, while sinusitis, rhinitis, heart condition (CAD), and bilateral shoulder conditions require further examination and analysis.

The Veteran's cause of death is being remanded due to a duty to assist error regarding his service-connected heart condition and other disabilities. The Board will seek a medical opinion on whether these conditions contributed to the Veteran's respiratory failure.

The appeal regarding entitlement to service connection for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy has been dismissed as moot.,The appeal regarding entitlement to service connection for acquired psychiatric disorder, variously diagnosed as unspecified anxiety disorder, unspecified depressive disorder, panic disorder, and insomnia disorder, is granted.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for diabetes and ischemic heart disease due to a lack of consideration of certain evidence, including ship logs from the USS Canisteo. A VA opinion is needed regarding the combined effect of toxic exposure during service on these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including hypertension and multiple forms of neuropathy associated with CAD, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. His TDIU claim is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for lung cancer, prostate cancer, coronary artery disease (CAD), and hypertension on a presumptive basis due to herbicide exposure in Thailand. The effective dates are not specified as the claims were filed prior to August 10, 2022.

The Veteran is granted entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) from December 22, 2022, through February 12, 2023, due to his service-connected heart disorder.

The Board denied service connection for heart palpitations as the evidence did not show it was incurred during active duty, training or in-service exposure. The Veteran's hyperthyroid heart disease is not considered a covered disease and therefore cannot be granted on that basis.

The Board has vacated the May 16, 2022 decision and remanded the service connection issues for diabetes mellitus, type II, hypertension, heart disability, and respiratory disability. The claims are now being addressed based on new evidence.

The Board has found that the Veteran's service connection claims for hepatocellular carcinoma, coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, diabetic nephropathy, obstructive sleep apnea, iron deficiency anemia, and erectile dysfunction are remanded due to a failure to verify the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents while stationed in Korea.

The Board has denied service connection for PTSD, a heart condition, and residuals of a nose fracture. The Veteran's claim for headaches secondary to service-connected sinusitis is remanded.,Service connection cannot be granted as there is no current diagnosis of PTSD that is related to active service.

The Veteran's TDIU is based on a single disability (vertigo) and his ischemic heart disease, which was rated at 60 percent disabling prior to December 27, 2022. Therefore, the criteria for SMC housebound benefits are met and granted effective December 29, 2014.

The Board has dismissed the appeals of three issues related to service connection for heart conditions, as they were concurrent elections and not properly docketed.