The Veteran's atrial fibrillation associated with sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome is rated at 30 percent, the maximum available under Diagnostic Code 7010. The TDIU claim is denied as there are no service-connected disabilities that preclude substantially gainful employment.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's atrial fibrillation does not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to lack of sustained ventricular arrhythmia or congestive heart failure, and his combined disability rating does not meet the threshold required for TDIU based on service-connected disabilities alone.
- Claimed conditions
- Atrial Fibrillation
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- January 11, 2018
- Citation
- 1802676
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 1802676.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a total disability rating for compensation based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities effective July 29, 2019, but not earlier.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for COPD, obstructive sleep apnea, atrial fibrillation, and hypertension as not being related to the Veteran's active duty or secondary to his service-connected GAD. However, congestive heart failure was granted due to a secondary relationship with his service-connected GAD.
- Denied
The Board denied entitlement to an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for diabetes mellitus and hypertension, as well as a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss.
- Granted
The Veteran's heart block is granted as secondary to service-connected sleep apnea, hypertension, and PTSD. The issue of a heart disability other than those already service connected is remanded.
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