The Board found that the veteran's aortic valve disease did not warrant an initial evaluation in excess of 50 percent from January 5, 1998, to May 7, 2001, and did not meet the criteria for TDIU prior to May 8, 2001.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence during the relevant time frame did not show signs of congestive heart failure or more than sedentary employment being precluded due to the severity of the disability picture.
- Claimed conditions
- aortic valve disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 16, 2009
- Citation
- 0902049
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.
- Dismissed
The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death during the pendency of the appeal.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the veteran's appeals for a higher rating and TDIU before January 21, 2017, because these issues had already been decided in another appeal.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
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