Service connection for coronary artery disease is granted. An effective date earlier than January 31, 2015, for the grant of service connection for PTSD is denied. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for PTSD is remanded. Service connection for left eye ischemic optic neuropathy and hypertension are remanded. Service connection for peripheral vascular disease (bilateral lower and upper extremities) and kidney dysfunction are remanded. Service connection for erectile dysfunction is remanded. Special monthly compensation based on loss of use of a creative organ is remanded.
The deciding factor: The Veteran was presumed exposed to herbicides during service in Vietnam, which established presumptive service connection for coronary artery disease due to exposure to herbicides.
- Claimed conditions
- coronary artery disease, left eye ischemic optic neuropathy, hypertension, peripheral vascular disease (bilateral lower and upper extremities), kidney dysfunction (nephrolithiasis), erectile dysfunction
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 14, 2019
- Citation
- 19186041
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,500 · Granted: 29% (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 19186041.
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.
- 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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction was denied as the evidence did not show that he had been diagnosed and manifested to at least a 10 percent disability rating on or prior to May 8, 2001.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.
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