Ischemic heart disease Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to pending claims for accrued benefits and service connection. The issues of hypertension, coronary artery disease, and appendectomy scar are still under review.

The Board has granted the restoration of service connection for diabetes with diabetic nephropathy, CAD, and a scar associated with CAD based on the PACT Act. The effective date is October 1, 2022.

The Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to February 28, 2014 (bilateral hearing loss) and January 31, 2018 (CAD) are denied.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to January 31, 2018 for TDIU is denied as there was no formal or informal claim filed before that date.

The Veteran's service connection claims for coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, and stroke residuals are granted on a presumptive basis due to exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam.,Service connection is also granted for the Veteran's now service-connected CAD causing his stroke residuals.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus are being remanded due to the need for additional clinical documentation from St. Mary's Hospital.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease with stable angina resulted in MET testing showing a workload of greater than 3.0 but not greater than 5.0 METs resulting in dyspnea, fatigue, angina, and dizziness, but no such symptoms at a workload of 3.0 METs or less. The Board found the Veteran's IHD warrants a 60 percent rating under DC 7005 because there is no congestive heart failure, the Veteran's symptoms were shown to be greater than 3 METs but not greater than 5 METs, and left ventricular dysfunction with an ejection fraction of 63 percent or greater throughout the appeal period.

The Veteran's appeal of his claim for service connection for a heart condition, to include ischemic heart disease, has been dismissed as he requested to withdraw the appeal.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis from October 31, 2014, to November 23, 2016, due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, COPD and pneumonia, skin cancer, a back disability, and a heart disability have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of in-service onset or chronicity of these conditions.

The Veteran is seeking an earlier effective date for a 100% rating for ischemic heart disease (IHD). The Board has determined that the July 2019 rating decision, which assigned this effective date, cannot be revised on the basis of clear and unmistakable error (CUE) because it did not become final. However, the claim is remanded to adjudicate a CUE claim for the effective date.

The Veteran's service-connected ischemic heart disease is granted, with presumptive service connection based on exposure to herbicides in Vietnam.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error regarding the heart disability, which is presumed to be related to herbicide agent exposure. The examiner needs to provide an opinion on whether the heart disability is related to service and if it was caused by or aggravated by the Veteran's lung cancer.

The Veteran's treatment at Fort Sanders Loudoun Medical Center on September 4, 2016 was for a condition of such severity that immediate medical attention was necessary to avoid serious health risks. The closest VA facilities were not feasibly available and an attempt to use them beforehand would have been impractical.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to inadequate medical opinions and new evidence submitted by the Veteran. The heart disability claim is related to service-connected GERD, while the tonsillitis claim involves a pre-existing condition noted at entry into service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to a lack of records from Dr. Harper in El Dorado, Arkansas.

The Veteran's heart disability was not shown as chronic in service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period. The Board found that the evidence does not support finding that the Veteran has ischemic heart disease, or that his heart problems began during service after a building fell on him. The Board also concluded that the Veteran's heart disability is not related to asbestos exposure, herbicide agent exposure, or PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for coronary artery disease and hypertension have been reopened, and both conditions are now granted as secondary to the other condition. The Veteran also received a grant of TDIU.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for increased ratings due to the need for additional medical examinations and records.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to August 26, 2015 for the award of a TDIU was denied as his service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation before that date.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and coronary artery disease associated with herbicide exposure due to incomplete records. The effective dates for service connection are not granted as there is no evidence of a claim prior to March 4, 2014.