The Veteran's initial claim for a disability rating of 60 percent for CAD was granted effective September 9, 2013. The earlier effective dates for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and associated tinnitus were also granted on July 3, 2012.,The Veteran’s claim for a compensable schedular disability rating for his bilateral hearing loss disability is denied.
The deciding factor: The evidence showed that the Veteran experienced symptoms of CAD including dyspnea and fatigue while performing a workload between three to five METs, which supported a 60 percent rating effective September 9, 2013.,The earlier effective dates for service connection were granted based on the receipt date of the Veteran's July 2012 Statement in Support of Claim form. The claim was deemed timely filed as it was received within one year of the informal claim and supported by medical evidence.
- Claimed conditions
- Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), Bilateral Hearing Loss, Tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 11, 2020
- Citation
- 20011324
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 20011324.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The claims for alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorder are remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The issue remains under direct service connection theory.
- Denied
The Veteran's hearing loss was rated at 30 percent, the highest non-compensable rating available. The Board found that his hearing loss did not warrant a higher rating based on VA examinations and medical records.
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