Secondary Heart Conditions

[CVUSMC]

I am 30% aortic Stenosis SC, also service connected for Hypertension.  I recently had a heart attack, diagnosed with CAD and had two stents implanted.  Best plan of attack for additional claims.  

[Dustoff1970]

If you had boots on the ground in the Vietnam War then your CAD heart disease may also be IHD Ischemic Heart Disease and you are automatically presumed to be exposed to the deadly Agent Orange chemicals spayed throughout Vietnam for many years by Air Force c-123 aircraft on Operation Ranch Hand.

Therefore you will be automatically  service connected for it when you file your claim with your evidence of Vietnam on the ground service as I see you were Army.

when I filed my claim I referred to it as Agent Orange IHD Ischemic Heart Disease under the Agent Orange Act of 1991 or 95 (????) and received fairly quick approval after fairly quick formal C&P Exam of questions and answers. 

My diagnosis was made by heart surgeon at a large private hospital after many test such as Bruce Treadmill stress test, EKG, ECHO, MRI, X-Rays, and others.

IHD Ischemic Heart Disease is rated under 38 CFR 4.104 Diagnostic Code 7005 and is actually called Cardiovascular Disease (CAD) in the regs,  however,  all the doctors, medical people and VA adjudicators refer to it also as IHD or Ischemic HD.

Edited December 23, 2019 by Dustoff 11

[allansc2005]

@Dustoff, this disputes buck's contention that you just had to be in the military DURING Vietnam to be presumptive for CAD.

Is there something in writing that states you had to have "boots on the ground", for presumptive CAD?

 

Allan 2-2-0 HUAH! 

[Buck52]

allansc2005

if you are a VIETNAM boots on the ground veteran  then you can use the Presumption fact Sheet  that has all the conditions that a Veteran can get service connected and rated for.

It's totally your choice if you want to file a claim for your CAD and call it ISD (IHD Ischemic Heart Disease) But a Qualified Dr would need to give his opinion that it is likely as not caused or related to your military service while serving in the RVN  You can get a service connection for it and a rating but its doubtful you will get any more comp unless this condition worsens and causes you to be bedridden.  then you can more than likely qualify for a top SMC Award.  which do pay out a lot more Comp  I think you would get a 10% rating but if your 100% then theres no more money in the pot for you.

Here is that pdf Presumption Fact Sheet

https://www.benefits.va.gov/BENEFITS/factsheets/serviceconnected/presumption.pdf

 

I am just saying why file for these claims if a Veteran is already 100% and have been for the last ten years. 

if any more new conditions is filed sure a Veteran can be service connected and a rating giving  but if any of those new conditions is not drastic  like if you lose an arm or both legs  or come down with a disablement that was caused by your military service to render you bed ridden or in need of another person to help you get dressed feed you  ect,,ect,,  in other words be totally dependent on others , then this is when you would get more SMC $$$ and you use that money to help pay for your healthcare and help at home.

Some Veterans file for more claims after they reach the 100% not for more $$$ but to make it hard for the VA to reduce their benefits under the 100% rate..

 Well respected Veteran Attorney Chris Attig HAS A Blog about this ,the reasons why a Veteran should pursue other claims IF HE ALREADY HAS A 100%S.C. Rating  if they arise later on in life  that is military related 

I am a Vietnam combat Veteran and served 2 years over there...I don't talk about Vietnam Much  I don't want to remember some of the bad things that happen over there 50 years ago..I'd soon just forget about all of it, but I do have a few claims caused by me Vietnam service, and if I do happen to come down with any presumption conditions that are listed  sure I might file a claim to established service connection and just incase I do come down with CAD or a Heart condition that  is on the presumption list or any other conditions and get bedridden some day I'd be S.C. For it and possibly get a lot more SMC comp,  I'd need it to help pay for me health care at home.

so if you have a Presumption claim you really need to file for it now but if its not disabling there will not be any $$ in it the old pot.Maybe a 10% rating....>.but will be if you ever become bedridden and need more $$ to help pay for your healthcare this is why you need to file for it. or any presumption claims from your Vietnam Service.

I did get REGISTERED in the old A.O. REGISTRY just incase I do come down with a Presumption DISEASE/CONDITION.

 

Edited December 23, 2019 by Buck52

[paulstrgn]

2 hours ago, Buck52 said:

I understand if any veteran has been S.C. for a disease or Injury for ten (10) years or more  it don't matter what he may die from his spouse will still get the DIC Claim.

Buck do you have to have been rated 100% for ten years or can it be for any disability? DIC is something that still confuses me. With my BVA win I would have had a 60% SC rating since 7/2015 (that is when I filed my first VA claim), does the ten years start from 7/2015 or when I reached 100% in 8/2018?

[paulstrgn]

2 hours ago, allansc2005 said:

there are many reasons to file after you're SC 100%.

SCMs, TDIU wanting to get 100% Scheduler for working reasons, Retro...

For me personally I will stop with my claims nw that I am 100% P&T, unless something debilitating arises. I have already been through one proposal to reduce and do not want to go through another if I can help it.

 

 

[Buck52]

1 minute ago, paulstrgn said:

Buck do you have to have been rated 100% for ten years or can it be for any disability? DIC is something that still confuses me. With my BVA win I would have had a 60% SC rating since 7/2015 (that is when I filed my first VA claim), does the ten years start from 7/2015 or when I reached 100% in 8/2018?

No paul  just as long as you have service connection established! if you had a 10% for ten years then your spouse will get DIC if you died from your 10% S.C. Condition/disease  note Actually   It don't matter what you died from   a car crash  if you had the condition for ten or more years then your spouse should be covered for the DIC...

If I am wrong here please someone correct me!!!