Ischemic heart disease Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's hypertension is secondary to his service-connected type II diabetes mellitus and/or ISHD. The case will be returned for a new medical opinion addressing these issues.

The Board has determined that the reduction from a 100% to a 60% disability rating for service-connected coronary artery disease was proper, as there is evidence of improvement in the Veteran's ability to function under ordinary conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for heart condition, skin cancer, RLS, and bilateral hand skin condition due to potential service connection issues related to environmental exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for ischemic heart disease, finding no current diagnosis and not related to his military service.

The Board denied a revision of the 10 percent rating assigned for coronary heart disease beginning March 1, 2013, finding no clear and unmistakable error.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and coronary artery disease were denied. The Board found no new and relevant evidence to reopen the claim of bilateral hearing loss, as it did not meet the criteria for presumptive exposure to herbicides or Agent Orange. For coronary artery disease, there was no in-service diagnosis or identification, and the Veteran's service treatment records do not indicate any manifestation of the condition within one year of separation.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient information regarding the cause of death, specifically whether 'severe aortic stenosis' is related to bacterial endocarditis or another condition. The examiner must provide an addendum addressing this issue.

The Veteran's initial rating for coronary artery disease (CAD) status post CABG was denied from October 1, 2012 to August 18, 2013.,A 60 percent rating, but no higher, was granted for CAD status post CABG from August 19, 2013 to October 30, 2019. The Veteran's claim for a higher rating in excess of 10 percent was denied from October 31, 2019.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disability, including coronary artery disease (CAD), chronic ischemic heart disease, and cardiac arrhythmia, unspecified. The evidence shows current diagnoses of these conditions, with an approximate balance of positive and negative evidence as to whether they manifested during service.

New and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims for service connection of various disabilities, including neck disability (cervical spine degenerative disc disease), lumbar spine condition, left elbow condition, right elbow condition, left hand numbness disability, right hand numbness disability, left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, and ischemic heart disease (IHD).

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression, anxiety, and PTSD), right foot disability, left foot disability, heart disability, and pulmonary embolism are denied. The Veteran's claim for service connection of the acquired psychiatric disorder is granted. The remaining issues have been remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertensive heart disease has been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability and the preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that it was incurred in or aggravated by active service.,Service connection for left knee and right knee disabilities have also been denied. The VA examiner found no evidence of continuity or chronicity of any bilateral knee condition, and there is no indication that the Veteran is competent to etiologically link his symptoms to service.

The Veteran's left hand condition, cervical condition, and right hand condition are not service connected.,Service connection for a heart condition, to include ischemic heart disease is remanded as the Board finds that VA examination is needed.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and ischemic heart disease due to insufficient information regarding in-service herbicide agent exposure. The Veteran is asked to provide more details or contact him if further assistance is needed.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there was no evidence linking his service-connected disabilities or exposure to herbicide agents (Agent Orange) with his pulmonary fibrosis and death. The Board held that the preponderance of the evidence did not support a link between the Veteran's active duty service and/or his service-connected conditions and his cause of death.

The Board has decided the bladder and heart disability issues, but has remanded the left kidney disability issue due to a duty to assist error. The Veteran's service connection claims for these conditions are denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disability, including coronary artery disease with congestive heart failure and atrial fibrillation as secondary to his PTSD, is being remanded due to procedural errors in the previous rating decision.

The Veteran's service connection claim for coronary artery disease is granted due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during his service in the Republic of Vietnam.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for low back disability, bilateral shoulder disability, hypertension (secondary to service-connected schizophrenia), heart disability, and residuals of a head injury due to incomplete examinations and lack of medical opinions. The Veteran will need to undergo VA examinations and obtain VA medical opinions.

The Veteran's TDIU on an extraschedular basis is granted effective February 6, 2011. The Board found that the combined severity of his service-connected disabilities has precluded him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation as of this date.