The veteran's degenerative disc disease L3-S1 with mild stenosis is rated at 40 percent, reflux esophagitis with hiatal hernia, duodenitis and history of ulcers remains at 10 percent, and arteriosclerotic heart disease status post myocardial infarction with hypertension is rated at 60 percent. The veteran's TDIU claim was granted.
The deciding factor: The VA found that the veteran's degenerative disc disease L3-S1 with mild stenosis warranted a higher rating due to recurrent and severe exacerbations of low back pain, muscle spasm, and significant loss of range of motion. The reflux esophagitis with hiatal hernia, duodenitis and history of ulcers was rated at 10 percent as the symptoms were episodic and controlled by over-the-counter medication. The arteriosclerotic heart disease status post myocardial infarction with hypertension was rated at 60 percent based on a workload capacity of 7 metabolic equivalents (METS), left ventricular ejection fraction of 40-45 percent, and no evidence of chronic congestive heart failure.
- Claimed conditions
- Arteriosclerotic heart disease status post myocardial infarction with hypertension, Degenerative disc disease L3-S1 with mild stenosis, Reflux esophagitis with hiatal hernia, duodenitis and history of ulcers
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- February 15, 2006
- Citation
- 0604392
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,012 · Granted: 24% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 0604392.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
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