The Board has granted an increased rating of 100 percent for the veteran's service-connected cardiovascular disability, effective from January 1993 to March 1, 1993. The ratings for arthritis of the cervical spine and thoracic spine remain at 10 percent each, while the rating for traumatic arthritis of the left ankle is maintained at 10 percent.
The deciding factor: The veteran's cardiovascular disability was rated as 60 percent disabling based on his coronary artery disease with chronic congestive heart failure. The Board found that a 100 percent rating was warranted due to more than one episode of acute congestive heart failure in the past year, or when a workload of greater than 3 METs but not greater than 5 METs results in dyspnea, fatigue, angina, dizziness, or syncope.
- Claimed conditions
- Cardiovascular Disability (including coronary artery bypass graft), Arthritis of the cervical spine, Arthritis of the thoracic spine, Traumatic arthritis of the left ankle
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- March 29, 2000
- Citation
- 0008353
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0008353.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) for the period on appeal, as the Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to maintain gainful employment.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for thoracolumbar and cervical spine disabilities, finding that there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected migraine headaches have been rated at the maximum schedular disability rating of 50 percent since July 12, 2010. Additionally, from July 12, 2010, a TDIU has also been granted due to the combined effect of multiple service-connected disabilities.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected posttraumatic headaches and arthritis of the cervical spine, thoracolumbar spine, and left ankle rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since his retirement in October 2009.
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