Ischemic heart disease Board decisions

The Veteran's hypertensive heart disease is granted as secondary to his service-connected hypertension. The claim for a higher rating for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine prior to December 23, 2019 remains denied. Service connection for a cervical spine disability, related to a service-connected lumbar spine disability, is remanded.

The Veteran did not have sufficient wartime active duty service for survivor pension benefits.,There is no evidence that the Veteran's death was caused by a service-connected disability, and he had no pending claims for compensation at the time of his death.,The Appellant's application for nonservice-connected burial benefits was denied as she did not personally pay for the Veteran's burial expenses.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating of her service-connected left shoulder disability has been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 30 percent.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for heart condition and left hand condition have been remanded due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for type II diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, hypertension, blood clots, and vasculitis have been denied as there is no evidence of herbicide exposure or in-service injury. The Board found that the Veteran did not serve within Vietnam and thus could not establish exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board has determined that there may be outstanding relevant treatment and personnel records from the Veteran's period of service and thereafter, and therefore remanded for further action.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction. The appeal is being remanded to obtain updated VA and private treatment records, as well as new VA examinations to evaluate his heart disability, amebiasis, and erectile dysfunction.

The Board has found the November 2020 VA examination opinion inadequate for adjudication purposes and remanded for an addendum opinion applying the correct standard of evaluation for secondary service connection via aggravation. The remaining claims are also remanded as they may be impacted by the hypertension claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for heart disease and skin cancer, both presumed due to herbicide agent exposure, is granted. The rating assigned is 100%.

The Veteran's death was not due to his own willful misconduct, and he had a service-connected disability rated as totally disabling for at least one year immediately preceding his death. However, the Veteran did not meet the criteria for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 because his total disability rating was less than ten years prior to his death.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection of sleep apnea and an increased rating for CAD, so the claims are dismissed.

The Board denied service connection for all claimed conditions, finding that the evidence did not support a link between any of these conditions and military service.

The Board has denied service connection for a bilateral knee disorder due to lack of evidence linking the condition to service.,The Board has remanded the claim for service connection for a heart disorder, as it is unclear whether the Veteran's current heart condition is related to his military service or exposure to contaminants at Fort Polk.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disability, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service injury or disease and no established continuity of symptomatology. The VA examiner concluded that any current heart disability is not otherwise etiologically related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to the need for a VA medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's headaches are secondary to his service-connected coronary artery disease.

The Board has granted service connection for coronary artery disease, status post myocardial infarction and Parkinson's disease, finding that the Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents during his active duty in Korea. The claim of diabetes mellitus is remanded as clarification on the current diagnosis is needed.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is also remanded for a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's heart conditions and hypertension are related to his service, including presumed exposure to herbicides. The VA must provide addendum opinions on these issues.

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for coronary artery disease and TDIU prior to January 20, 2021 are being remanded due to inadequate medical opinions. The VA will provide additional development as requested.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to address the etiology of the Veteran's left knee disability and heart disability, including whether they are related to service or environmental exposures.

The Veteran's service-connected residuals, s/p MI with CAD have been rated at 30 percent since October 1, 2016. The Board denied a rating in excess of 30 percent prior to February 13, 2020 and granted a 60 percent rating from that date.