The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of bilateral hearing loss has been granted, effective August 14, 2018.,Service connection for ischemic heart disease is granted based on new evidence.
The deciding factor: New evidence was submitted showing the presence of a disability and its relationship to service-connected conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Ischemic heart disease, Chronic kidney disease (secondary to diabetes mellitus), Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) (secondary to PTSD), COPD, Prostate cancer, Peripheral neuropathy of the right upper extremity, Peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity, Peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity (previously claimed as numbness in left foot and ankle), Skin cancer (presumptive due to herbicide exposure), Tongue cancer (presumptive due to herbicide exposure), Sinus bradycardia
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- August 19, 2020
- Citation
- 20054797
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 20054797.
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.
- 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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for COPD, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between his current respiratory disability and active duty service. The VA examiner concluded that the COPD was more likely due to tobacco use rather than asbestos exposure in service.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, attributing it to his exposure to Agent Orange during service. COPD is considered a disease associated with such exposure.
- Granted
The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for COPD. The Veteran's COPD is presumed due to exposure to herbicides, but the evidence does not support a finding that it began during active service or is related to in-service exposure.
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