The Veteran's coronary artery disease was rated at 10% prior to November 20, 2014 and at 30% thereafter. The Veteran is denied a rating in excess of these ratings.,The Veteran's hypertension was granted service connection but the Board found that his service-connected PTSD aggravated it beyond its natural progression.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not show a workload of less than seven METs, which would warrant a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 7006. The Veteran’s symptoms were consistent with a workload of greater than three to five METs.,The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected PTSD aggravated his hypertension beyond its natural progression.
- Claimed conditions
- Coronary artery disease, Gastritis, Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Morton’s neuroma of the right foot with degenerative joint disease of the first metatarsal phalangeal joint, bilateral feet, Hypertension
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- November 20, 2020
- Citation
- 20074518
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 remands the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and hypertension, to include as secondary to left orchiectomy, for further development in accordance with the PACT Act.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matters for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and conducting VA examinations.
- Partly granted
The Board granted readjudication of previously denied claims for service connection for PTSD and COPD, while remanding other issues including entitlement to service connection for an eye disorder, hypertension, tinnitus, a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, TDIU, and an initial rating for PTSD.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various disabilities and denied higher ratings for several service-connected conditions.
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