The Veteran's effective date for service connection of coronary artery disease is fixed at October 3, 2007.,The Veteran's effective date for service connection of diabetes mellitus is fixed at July 16, 2010. The appellant argues that the earlier dates should apply due to VA treatment records and medications received from the VA pharmacy. However, there is no evidence of an informal claim prior to these dates.,The Veteran's initial rating for diabetes mellitus remains at 20 percent as his condition does not meet criteria for a higher rating.
The deciding factor: There is no earlier communication or action indicating intent to apply for service connection for coronary artery disease or diabetes mellitus prior to the assigned effective dates.
- Claimed conditions
- coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- June 27, 2016
- Citation
- 1625545
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 1625545.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, visual impairment, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction due to lack of exposure to herbicide agents during service. The Veteran's claims were not granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for coronary artery disease is being remanded due to the inadequacy of a previous VA examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection on the merits are being remanded due to new evidence and development needs. The maximum disability rating for tinnitus has already been assigned.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.