Ischemic heart disease Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not result in the physical loss or permanent loss of use of one or both hands or feet, severe burn injury, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ankylosis of one or both knees or hips. Therefore, he does not qualify for financial assistance in purchasing a vehicle and adaptive equipment.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical evidence and the need for updated records. The Veteran's heart disorder may be related to his service, but more information is needed from a VA examiner.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for service connection due to outstanding medical records not being obtained. The VA will need to make reasonable efforts to obtain these records from identified private doctors.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's heart condition is related to his military service, granting service connection for this disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment prior to September 5, 2018. The decision grants a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) for this period.

The Veteran's initial claim for increased ratings for coronary artery disease (CAD) prior to December 20, 2017 was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating than 30 percent.,The Veteran's subsequent claim for increased ratings for CAD since December 20, 2017 was also denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating than 60 percent.

The Board has dismissed all claims for service connection as they have been fully granted in the May 2020 and September 2020 rating decisions.

The Board has remanded the claims for hypertension, heart disability secondary to hypertension, and erectile dysfunction secondary to hypertension due to insufficient information in the March 2020 VA examination report regarding the etiology of the Veteran's current hypertension.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional medical opinions regarding his service connection claims, including the need to obtain VA and private treatment records.

The Veteran's appeal was denied as his TDIU claim and bilateral hearing loss rating were both denied. The Veteran is currently in receipt of a 100% combined disability rating due to service-connected coronary artery disease, but the Board found that he did not meet the criteria for a TDIU based on any single service-connected condition other than his coronary artery disease. His bilateral hearing loss was rated as noncompensable.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease and coronary artery disease, including after a myocardial infarction, are rated at 60 percent throughout the appeal period.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease disability is now rated at 60 percent effective from May 26, 2016. Additionally, the Veteran is granted a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has restored the Veteran's 60 percent rating for ischemic heart disease effective March 1, 2016. The Board also granted an initial rating of 100 percent for ischemic heart disease.

The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for radial nerve peripheral neuropathy, left upper extremity was denied. The claims for service connection for prostate cancer, coronary artery disease (CAD), right lower extremity neuropathy, and left lower extremity neuropathy were granted based on new and relevant evidence submitted after the August 2019 denial.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease was initially denied in March 2019. The VA acknowledged exposure to herbicide agents at Takhli Air Base, where the Veteran served as a security policeman. In September 2019, the Joint Services Records Research Center (JSRRC) concluded that no documentation of Agent Orange use existed for Thailand bases. However, VA allowed some discretion in determining exposure based on duty activities and performance reports. The Board found the grant of service connection to be consistent with VA law at the time.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from engaging in substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted an earlier effective date of July 23, 2018 for his total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's Ischemic Heart Disease is granted service connection due to herbicide exposure. For the period prior to August 17, 2022, a rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss is denied. An increased rating of 30 percent but no higher for bilateral hearing loss is granted effective from August 17, 2022.

The Veteran's heart disability rating was restored from 60% to 100%, effective July 1, 2022. The reduction was improper due to inadequate VA examination reports.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors. Additional evidence is needed, including private treatment records and VA examination opinions.

The Veteran's service connection claims for coronary artery disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities have been granted. However, his claim for peripheral neuropathy of the right and left lower extremities secondary to type 2 diabetes mellitus is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error.