The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for heart disability, rheumatic arthritis, gastrointestinal disability (GERD), and cervical spine disability. The claim for an increased rating of hemorrhoids was granted to a 20 percent rating effective November 24, 2010.
The deciding factor: The Board found no evidence linking the Veteran's current heart disabilities to service or any other etiology, and denied service connection for rheumatic arthritis, gastrointestinal disability (GERD), and cervical spine disability. The claim for an increased rating of hemorrhoids was granted based on a VA examination showing persistent bleeding.
- Claimed conditions
- Heart Disability, Gastrointestinal Disability (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease - GERD), Cervical Spine Disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- November 4, 2016
- Citation
- 1642599
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 1642599.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's cervical spine disability, right knee strain (painful motion), and right knee instability are now rated at 30 percent effective August 16, 2017.
- Granted
The Veteran's heart disability has been rated at 100% from September 12, 2022 to August 18, 2023. He is also eligible for special monthly compensation and Dependents' Educational Assistance during this period.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for service connection for TMD, cervical spine disability, and FSAD have been denied.,An earlier effective date prior to August 2, 2022, for the award of service connection for these conditions has also been denied.
- Denied
The Veteran's heart disability is currently rated at 60 percent from February 24, 2023.,The effective date for the grant of TDIU was set to February 24, 2023.
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