The Veteran's heart condition was initially rated at 10 percent prior to December 11, 2020 and increased to 60 percent from that date. The Board found the evidence did not support a higher rating for either period.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners provided conflicting opinions regarding whether the Veteran's heart condition manifested as chronic congestive heart failure or left ventricular dysfunction with an ejection fraction of less than 30 percent, which are required for a total schedular disability rating under Diagnostic Code 7005.
- Claimed conditions
- coronary artery disease (heart condition)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- May 18, 2021
- Citation
- 21030288
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 21030288.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board granted service connection for a heart condition, resolving all doubt in the Veteran's favor.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for prostate cancer and heart condition, finding no evidence of a causal relationship to service or herbicide exposure.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for multinodular goiter and coronary artery disease due to potential exposure to radioactive materials during service. The AOJ must determine if the Veteran was exposed to radiation, and a VA examination is needed to assess whether his conditions are related to his service.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
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