Citation Nr: 21070598 Decision Date: 11/24/21 Archive Date: 11/24/21 DOCKET NO. 17-00 315 DATE: November 24, 2021 ORDER Service connection for ischemic heart disease, to include coronary artery disease, is granted. FINDINGS OF FACT 1. The Veteran has a current disability of ischemic heart disease which has at least manifested to a degree of 10 percent disabling. 2. The Veteran had active service in the Republic of Vietnam between January 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975 and is presumed to have been exposed to an herbicide agent during service. CONCLUSION OF LAW Giving the Veteran the benefit of the doubt, the criteria for service connection for ischemic heart disease, to include coronary artery disease, as a result of herbicide agent exposure, have been met. 38 U.S.C. §§ 1101, 1110, 1113, 1116, 5107(b); 38 C.F.R. §§ 3.102, 3.303, 3.307, 3.309. REASONS AND BASES FOR FINDINGS AND CONCLUSION The Veteran served on active duty from January 1969 to January 1971. This matter originally came before the Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) from a February 2015 rating decision issued by a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Regional Office (RO). This matter was previously remanded by the Board for further development in December 2020 and is again before the Board. Service connection for ischemic heart disease, to include coronary artery disease, is granted. The Veteran believes that service connection for ischemic heart disease is warranted. Generally, service connection will be granted if the evidence demonstrates that a current disability resulted from a disease or injury incurred in or aggravated by active service, even if the disability was initially diagnosed after service. 38 C.F.R. § 3.303. A current disability exists when a veteran has the disability at the time that the claim for service connection is filed or at any point during the pendency of the claim. See McClain v. Nicholson, 21 Vet. App. 319 (2007). Unless affirmative evidence establishes otherwise, a veteran who served on active duty in the Republic of Vietnam between January 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975, is presumed to have been exposed to an herbicide agent during such service. 38 C.F.R. § 3.307(a)(6). If a veteran was exposed to an herbicide agent during active service and develops a particular disease listed in 38 C.F.R. § 3.309(e) that becomes manifest to a degree of 10 percent disabling, it will be service connected on a presumptive basis even though there is no record of the disease during service. This is true of ischemic heart disease, which includes coronary artery disease. 38 C.F.R. § 3.307(a)(6); 38 C.F.R. § 3.309(e). Under 38 C.F.R. § 4.104 Diagnostic Code 7005 (prior to November 2021), ischemic heart disease manifests to a degree of 60 percent disabling if there is documented coronary artery disease resulting in a workload of greater than 3 METs but not greater than 5 METs resulting in dyspnea, fatigue, angina, dizziness, or syncope. The benefit of the doubt will be given to the veteran when there is an approximate balance of evidence concerning any material issue in the matter. 38 U.S.C. § 5107(b); 38 C.F.R. § 3.102. Essentially, the matter comes down to three questions: (1) does the Veteran have a current diagnosis of ischemic heart disease, (2) was the Veteran exposed to an herbicide agent during active service, and (3) did the ischemic heart disease at least manifest to a degree of 10 percent disabling? Medical records show that the Veteran has a current diagnosis of coronary artery disease. See August 2021 C&P Exam. The Veteran's military records show service in Vietnam during 1969 and 1970. See March 1976 DD 214. A 2015 VA examination found a workload of greater than 3 METs but not greater than 5 METs resulting in dyspnea. See January 2015 C&P Exam. Based on this examination, the Board gives the Veteran the benefit of the doubt and finds that the ischemic heart disease at least manifested to a degree of 10 percent disabling. Therefore, service connection for ischemic heart disease, to include coronary artery disease, as a result of herbicide agent exposure is granted. MARJORIE A. AUER Veterans Law Judge Board of Veterans' Appeals Attorney for the Board A. Dougan, Associate Counsel The Board's decision in this case is binding only with respect to the instant matter decided. This decision is not precedential and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability. 38 C.F.R. § 20.1303.