Ischemic heart disease Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development regarding service connection for GERD and initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for CAD prior to February 25, 2013.,A TDIU from March 28, 2011, was granted. The Veteran's eligibility for a TDIU is based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of rheumatic fever and hypertension/hypertensive heart disease, as secondary to or aggravated by mitral regurgitation due to inadequate development. The VA examiner is required to provide opinions on whether the Veteran's conditions are related to his mitral regurgitation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypothyroidism and a heart disability, both of which are presumed to be due to in-service exposure to toxins while serving in the Persian Gulf. The AOJ is directed to obtain updated medical opinions addressing these issues based on the Veteran's lay statements regarding symptoms during active duty.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease (CAD) with cardiomyopathy was granted effective December 9, 2004. The earliest clinical evidence of CAD and/or ischemic heart disease is September 2003.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to November 12, 2009, for service-connected ischemic heart disease has been denied.,The Board has also remanded the Veteran's claims regarding his bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy and his service-connected ischemic heart disease.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a blood disorder (anemia and myeloproliferative disorder (Jak 2+)), and a heart condition (atrial flutter and fibrillation) have been remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and development of records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for coronary artery disease, claimed as ischemic heart disease, is granted due to presumed exposure to herbicides during service.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is denied as there was no in-service acoustic trauma.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is granted as secondary to his hepatitis.,The Veteran's HIV is denied as not being related to his service or connected to his hepatitis.

The Veteran's left arm radiculopathy is found to be secondary to her service-connected cervical spine disorder.,Other claims are remanded for further development and consideration.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, finding that there is no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides or other factors linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 30 percent for the Veteran's ischemic heart disease, finding that his disability is manifested by the ability to perform a workload of greater than 5 metabolic equivalents METs before such results in dyspnea/breathlessness, syncope, and fatigue, without acute or chronic congestive heart failure (CHF) or left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of less than 50 percent.

The Board has remanded the claims for ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, and PTSD due to Agent Orange exposure. The Veteran's service in Vietnam is not confirmed, and further verification is required.

The Veteran's bladder cancer and heart disability are granted service connection due to presumed exposure to herbicides. Service connection for BPH is remanded.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating for compensation purposes based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his coronary artery disease (CAD) is denied as the evidence does not meet the criteria for a disability rating in excess of 30 percent.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for digestive / intestinal tract disorder, coronary artery disease, and prostate cancer due to radiation exposure. The AOJ is instructed to consider all evidence added since the January 2020 Statement of the Case.

This decision is remanded for several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected conditions. The Veteran's coronary artery disease, COPD, and erectile dysfunction are all being reviewed for increased ratings or service connection. Additionally, his entitlement to SMC based on loss of use of a creative organ and TDIU prior to October 26, 2017, is also remanded.,An examination is needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's COPD, considering both military service exposure and post-service occupational exposures. The cause of his erectile dysfunction must be considered in light of his current medications.

The Veteran's SMC claim for aid and attendance or housebound benefits is remanded due to the need for an additional VA examination to evaluate his current condition related to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's back disability is granted service connection. The neck, right hip, left ankle, heart, kidney, head trauma, and seizures disabilities are denied as not related to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability has been reopened, but the Board finds that new and material evidence does not establish an in-service injury or disease. The current knee condition is also not related to service.,Service connection for a bilateral knee disability cannot be established as there is no credible evidence of an in-service injury or event leading to current symptoms.,The Veteran's claim for high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, and heart disease are remanded due to the need to determine if he served within 12 nautical miles from Vietnam shores during his service aboard USS Okinawa. The claims for sleep apnea and an acquired psychiatric disorder (likely depression) also require additional development.,Service connection for a respiratory disorder is remanded as the Veteran needs to confirm his report of exposure to burning feces in service.,The Veteran's bilateral foot disability claim requires further examination to determine if it is related to service.