The Board denied an initial rating higher than 30 percent for the Veteran's coronary artery disease (CAD) prior to August 8, 2012, finding that his condition met the criteria for a 30 percent disability rating based on METs and ejection fraction.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner could not determine the Veteran’s METs score due to bilateral degenerative joint disease and chronic venous insufficiency which prohibited him from walking on the treadmill, thus rendering an opinion impossible.
- Claimed conditions
- Coronary artery disease (CAD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- November 17, 2020
- Citation
- 20073703
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a TDIU due to service-connected disabilities prior to February 14, 2025, as the evidence did not show that he was precluded from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment during the appeal period.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) for further development and readjudication.
- Partly granted
The Board denied increased ratings for Parkinsonism and CAD, but granted SMC based on the loss of use of the hands and need for regular aid and attendance.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board granted the eligibility of attorneys A.B.J., E.G., and S.D. to receive direct payment of fees from past due benefits awarded in a June 2024 rating decision granting service connection for coronary artery disease, but remanded the issue of the reasonableness of the amount of attorney fees.
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