The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the issues of a rating in excess of 20 percent for residuals, trimalleolar fracture left ankle; an initial rating in excess of 60 percent for coronary artery disease (CAD) with coronary artery bypass grafting associated with herbicide exposure; and entitlement to an effective date earlier than August 27, 2015, for the grant of service connection for CAD. The Board has also determined that a TDIU issue must be remanded.
The deciding factor: The Veteran underwent VA examinations in February 2019 which were not considered by the agency of original jurisdiction (AOJ) in conjunction with the claim currently on appeal, and additional evidence was added to the record since the May 2018 supplemental statement of the case (SSOC).
- Claimed conditions
- residuals, trimalleolar fracture left ankle, coronary artery disease (CAD) with coronary artery bypass grafting
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 31, 2019
- Citation
- 19182329
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,858 · Granted: 24% (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 19182329.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's headaches are at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected traumatic brain injury, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Granted
The Veteran's major depressive disorder is found to be caused by his service-connected low back and radiculopathy disabilities, which prevent him from doing enjoyable activities and daily living tasks.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his active service or any related exposure.
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