The Board granted the reopening of the claim for service connection for pes planus but denied it on its merits. The claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disability, increased ratings for PTSD and scars, residuals of CABG surgery were denied. The claims for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for ischemic heart disease and service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were remanded.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's claim for pes planus was reopened based on new and material evidence, but the claim for a lumbar spine disability was denied as there was no new evidence establishing a link to service. The PTSD rating was denied due to insufficient evidence of total occupational and social impairment. The claims for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for ischemic heart disease and service connection for COPD were remanded for further development.
- Claimed conditions
- pes planus, lumbar spine disability, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), scars, residuals of coronary bypass graft (CABG) surgery, ischemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 4, 2022
- Citation
- 22000171
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including prostate cancer and related disabilities, urinary incontinence, sleep apnea, hypertension, varicose veins, lumbar spine disability, hip arthritis, shoulder arthritis, ankle arthritis, knee strain, knee replacement, and hand arthritis. The only condition granted was a 10 percent rating for a fracture of the right proximal first metacarpal.
- Partly granted
The Veteran was granted a 70 percent initial disability rating for PTSD effective December 2, 2021, but the claim for an increased rating in excess of 70 percent was denied. The appeal also included claims for service connection and ratings for various conditions, some of which were granted while others were remanded.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of October 17, 2022, for the grant of service connection for PTSD.
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