The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, specifically ischemic heart disease and posttraumatic stress disorder, rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.
- Claimed conditions
- Ischemic heart disease, Posttraumatic stress disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 90%
- Decision date
- December 17, 2019
- Citation
- 19194781
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,569 · Granted: 26% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 19194781.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for an initial rating of 30 percent prior to July 18, 2014, and a higher than 60 percent rating thereafter for ischemic heart disease is being remanded due to incomplete evidence. The examiner needs to provide more detailed information about the severity of his service-connected condition.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date and increased rating for ischemic heart disease due to a failure by the AOJ to request SSA records, which were not available.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's request for reentrance into a VR&E program and retroactive induction for restoration of Chapter 33 (Post-9/11 GI Bill) educational assistance benefits, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not worsen to the extent that he was precluded from performing the work duties of the occupation for which he previously was found rehabilitated.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for major depressive disorder was denied, and her request for an increased rating for PTSD was also denied. The Board found that the Veteran's symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher disability rating.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.