The Veteran's service connection for a respiratory disability is denied. The Veteran's coronary artery disease is granted an increased rating to 60 percent effective February 22, 2017. The Veteran's psychiatric disability (PTSD and depressive disorder) is granted an initial rating of 70 percent effective February 23, 2017.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran’s respiratory condition began during service or was related to in-service exposure to herbicide agents. The VA examiner opined that the Veteran's current coronary artery disease is not related to military service and provided an explanation based on clinical findings and treatment records.
- Claimed conditions
- respiratory disability, coronary artery disease, psychiatric disability
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- April 16, 2019
- Citation
- 19128893
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,863 · Granted: 26% (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 19128893.
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
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.
- Partly granted
The Board has not made a final determination on the claims of service connection for inguinal hernia, PTSD, joint pain, fibromyalgia, left knee disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, chronic fatigue syndrome, respiratory disability, sleep disorder, IBS, and headaches. The claims are remanded to obtain additional evidence and determine if these conditions are related to service.
- 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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for coronary artery disease, hypertension, and stroke as there was no evidence of herbicide agent exposure during service and the medical opinions were against a nexus to service.
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