The veteran's secondary service connection claim for injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident is denied. The effective date for the increased rating of hypertension remains November 19, 1997 due to lack of evidence showing an increase within one year prior to the claim. The heart disability is rated at 30 percent and the veteran's appeal for higher ratings is denied.
The deciding factor: The motor vehicle accident was not caused by service-connected conditions or medications prescribed for them, thus secondary service connection is not warranted. The effective date of the increased rating for hypertension cannot be earlier than November 19, 1997 as there is no evidence showing an increase in severity within one year prior to the claim. The heart disability is rated at 30 percent under the old criteria and higher ratings are not supported by the evidence.
- Claimed conditions
- Coronary artery disease - status post inferior wall myocardial infarction, Hypertension, Multiple injuries sustained in a September 1996 motor vehicle accident
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- June 4, 2004
- Citation
- 0414355
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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0414355.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
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- Partly granted
The Board granted readjudication of previously denied claims for service connection for PTSD and COPD, while remanding other issues including entitlement to service connection for an eye disorder, hypertension, tinnitus, a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, TDIU, and an initial rating for PTSD.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus, type II, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, hypertension, asthma/lung disease, vision disability, bilateral plantar fasciitis, leukocytosis, kidney disease/kidney stones, enlarged prostate, sleep apnea, rheumatoid arthritis, lumbar spine disability, right ankle disability, and left ankle disability.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and a right shoulder disorder as there was no probative evidence of current disabilities as defined by VA.
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