The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for depression was denied, as his symptoms did not meet the criteria for a disability rating of 70 percent or higher.,Service connection for ischemic heart disease was also denied, with no current diagnosis found during the pendency of the claim.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's symptoms were evaluated and found to be consistent with a 50 percent rating, which is the highest non-compensable rating available.,There was no objective evidence confirming ischemic heart disease or coronary artery disease in the medical records provided during the pendency of the claim.
- Claimed conditions
- persistent depression with anxious distress and alcohol use (depression), ischemic heart disease, obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 18, 2020
- Citation
- A20018950
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 A20018950.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- 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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart condition, including ischemic heart disease. The evidence did not support a finding of a current disability related to service.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that there is no competent evidence to support a finding that his current condition began in or as a result of service.
- Denied
The Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA) has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as there is no current diagnosis of this condition during the appeal period.
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