Ischemic heart disease Board decisions

The Board has restored service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus and granted service connection for various peripheral neuropathies and a heart disability, all related to the Veteran's exposure to contaminated C-123 aircraft during his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease status-post myocardial infarction was granted with an effective date of March 7, 2018. The earlier unadjudicated claim for congestive heart failure secondary to hypertension is also considered.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for ischemic heart disease prior to March 19, 2024 was denied. From March 19, 2024, the Veteran is rated at 60 percent for IHD and TDIU claims are not granted.

The Board has remanded the claims for diabetes mellitus and heart condition due to conflicting medical opinions and need for further clarification. The diabetes claim is related to a snake bite or antivenom treatment, while the heart condition may be caused by diabetes.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for his coronary artery disease prior to February 7, 2018 was denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent. Since February 7, 2018, the Veteran's CAD has been rated at 60 percent due to symptoms such as dyspnea, fatigue, and angina with a METs level greater than 3 but less than 5.

The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation at the intermediate rate between 38 U.S.C. § 1114 subsections (n) and (o) due to multiple service-connected disabilities independently rated at 50 percent or more.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted with an effective date of August 9, 2023. The Board found that the Veteran was unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities starting from this date.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for a compensable rating for heart disability and hypertension due to withdrawal by the Veteran. The claims of service connection for low back and neck disabilities are remanded.

The Board denied service connection for coronary artery disease but granted it for BPH secondary to diabetes mellitus. The denial of coronary artery disease was based on the absence of herbicide exposure in Thailand, while the grant of BPH was due to a change in law.

The Veteran's death was not caused by a disability incurred in or aggravated during his military service, and the Board denied entitlement to service connection for the cause of death.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease and myocardial infarction, finding that there was no evidence of herbicide exposure during service and thus no causal link to service.

The Veteran is granted an earlier effective date of September 3, 2020 for individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for type 2 diabetes mellitus, coronary arteriosclerosis characterized as coronary artery disease, and erectile dysfunction due to procedural issues and the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board denied service connection for heart disorder, DM, BLE neuropathy, and right leg amputation as the evidence did not show these conditions were related to service or a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease is rated at 60 percent for the entire period on appeal, with symptoms including left ventricular dysfunction and dyspnea during exercise tests.

The Veteran's heart condition is granted as service-connected due to exposure to herbicides. The claims for left lower extremity and right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy are dismissed, while the claim for left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy remains denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, valvular heart disease, hypertension, left wrist condition, right wrist condition, left ankle condition, right ankle condition, right elbow condition, left elbow condition, neck condition, right arm condition, left arm condition, sleep apnea, left knee condition, right knee condition, back condition, bowel condition, headaches, and bilateral flatfoot for further adjudication due to a failure to provide notice of the right to a hearing as provided by 38 C.F.R. �� 3.103(b)(1) and (d)(1).

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error and requires an examination for the heart disability.

The Veteran's service connection for coronary artery disease is granted under the PACT Act, which grants presumed exposure to herbicide agents during service in Thailand. The claim was denied previously on a different basis.