Ischemic heart disease Board decisions

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a heart disability and gastrointestinal disability due to outstanding records that need to be obtained, including SSA records, private treatment records from Dr. D., Dr. H., and in-patient hospitalization records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to engage and retain substantially gainful employment from July 10, 2005 to August 3, 2015. The Board granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis for this period.

For the period prior to July 29, 2019, the Veteran's ischemic heart disease did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,For the period beginning July 29, 2019, the Veteran's ischemic heart disease met the criteria for a 30% disability rating.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU prior to June 16, 2010 was denied as his service-connected disabilities did not meet the percentage requirements for a schedular TDIU rating. The Board found that referral for extraschedular consideration was not warranted.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU for the period from September 1, 2011 to November 14, 2011. The claim of entitlement to TDIU for the period from November 15, 2011 to December 31, 2012 is moot due to the Veteran's 100% schedular rating and SMC under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s). The claim of TDIU prior to September 1, 2011 was denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or maintain a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted entitlement to Total Disability Individual Unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a nervous disorder and hypertension was granted. Service connection for hypertension is also granted, but the Veteran does not have a currently diagnosed heart or cervical spine condition related to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for a new addendum medical opinion to address whether his cardiac disorders are caused or aggravated by his service-connected psoriasis and PTSD.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination in July 2016, and a new VA examination is needed to determine if the Veteran is entitled to a higher initial rating for CAD.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for coronary artery disease was denied, and his claim for SMC based on the need for regular aid and attendance or by reason of being housebound was also denied because the need was not due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient examination findings and a need for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling an examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for xerostomia, diabetes mellitus, and coronary artery disease due to herbicide exposure. The VA is required to verify the Veteran's in-service exposure to Agent Orange at El Toro, California.

The Veteran was granted a 60% disability rating for ischemic heart disease (IHD) and coronary artery disease (CAD) from August 31, 2012 to April 1, 2014. From April 1, 2014 until July 1, 2014, the Veteran was granted a staged disability rating of 100% for IHD due to myocardial infarction.,From July 1, 2014 onwards, the Veteran's disability rating for ischemic heart disease was denied as it did not meet the criteria for a higher than 10% rating.

The Veteran's rating for ischemic heart disease, to include coronary artery disease, is denied as it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his coronary artery disease (CAD) since December 1, 2017 was denied as the evidence did not show symptoms at a workload of 5 METs or less.

The Board denied the claim for TDIU prior to May 25, 2017 due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities not precluding substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease was rated at 30 percent from November 29, 2018. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating as his disability did not reach the level of more than one episode of acute congestive heart failure in the past year or workload of greater than 3 METs but not greater than 5 METs resulting in dyspnea, fatigue, angina, dizziness, or syncope.

The Board has remanded the claims for a rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD and TDIU, to include on an extraschedular basis. The Veteran's CAD disability is also being remanded due to lack of recent VA treatment records and examination.

The Veteran's PTSD prior to December 7, 2016 resulted in occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks. The Veteran’s CAD is currently rated at 10 percent.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection due to additional development being needed, including obtaining medical opinions on obesity and sleep apnea. The issues of service connection are related to PTSD.