Ischemic heart disease Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine, cervical spine, left shoulder, left deltoid bursitis, left ulnar neuropathy, right hip, and left hip disabilities are granted. The Veteran's claim for service connection for asthma is remanded, as is his claim for service connection for hypertension.

The Board has granted an increased rating of 60 percent for the Veteran's heart disability from February 27, 2020. The remaining claims (service connection for hypertension and increased ratings for low back and bronchial asthma with sleep apnea) are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for heart disorder, hypertension, and bilateral foot disorder due to inadequate opinions regarding their etiology. The VA examiner is required to provide an addendum opinion addressing the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The case is being remanded due to inadequate compliance with previous Board directives. Another medical opinion is needed regarding the etiology of all cardiac disabilities, including left ventricular hypertrophy and coronary artery disease, in relation to service and exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

Your service-connected conditions provide a greater benefit than the nonservice-connected pension benefits you are seeking. Therefore, your claim for nonservice-connected pension benefits is dismissed.

The Veteran's coronary artery disease with status post stent placement has not met the criteria for a disability rating greater than 30 percent since February 1, 2015.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for coronary artery disease, erectile dysfunction, and peripheral neuropathies of the lower and upper extremities as they are not found to be secondary to his diabetes mellitus type II. The Board also denied service connection for DM type II due to lack of aggravation during service.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings for traumatic heart disease, residuals of lung injury, and superficial scars due to unclear withdrawal intentions from the Veteran.

The Board has granted an earlier effective date of August 5, 2010 for the grant of service connection for erectile dysfunction. The issue of a prior effective date for hypertensive kidney disease is remanded.

The Veteran's service connection for arteriosclerotic heart disease (coronary artery disease) is granted. The Veteran also has a secondary service connection for arteriosclerosis obliterans (peripheral vascular disease), including as secondary to CAD. The Veteran's right upper and lower extremity impairments due to Parkinson's disease are increased in rating.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have precluded him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to September 6, 2017.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease status post-myocardial infarction is rated at 100 percent since March 1, 2013. Special monthly compensation based on statutory housebound under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s) is granted since August 13, 2013.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection, and thus remands these issues.

The Veteran's claim for restoration of a 30 percent rating for ischemic heart disease, coronary artery disease status post stent placement from September 1, 2018 to November 14, 2018 is granted.

The Veteran's CAD is being remanded for an updated examination to assess the current severity of his condition, and his TDIU claim is also being held in abeyance due to its interdependence with the rating issue.

The Veteran's candidiasis, bilateral hearing loss, and CAD have all been denied.,The Veteran's initial compensable rating for his bilateral hearing loss has also been denied.

The Board has granted service connection for diabetes mellitus, type II and ischemic heart disease as due to herbicide exposure at the Korat RTAFB in Thailand.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disability, finding that there was no evidence of ischemia or coronary artery disease. The Board also found that the Veteran did not have any other conditions qualifying as presumptive under 38 C.F.R. § 3.309(e).

The Veteran's hypertension with cardiomegaly is rated at 20 percent, and a separate 30 percent rating for hypertensive heart disease is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease was denied for ratings in excess of the current assigned ratings.