The Veteran's appeal for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is dismissed.,An increased rating of 60 percent, but no higher, for coronary artery disease (CAD) from February 20, 2020, effective January 28, 2021, is granted. The Veteran's CAD has been rated as left ventricular dysfunction with an ejection fraction between 30% and 50%, but not more than that.,The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for surgical scar, mid sternum is denied. His tinnitus claim also does not meet the criteria for an earlier effective date of February 20, 2020.,An initial noncompensable rating for surgical scar, mid sternum is granted from February 20, 2020.
The deciding factor: The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the claim of entitlement to an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss at his April 2022 Board hearing.,Since February 20, 2020, the Veteran's CAD has more nearly approximated left ventricular dysfunction with an ejection fraction (LVEF) between 30 percent and 50 percent. The evidence does not show that it has more nearly approximated a workload of 3 METs or less resulting in dyspnea, fatigue, angina, dizziness, or syncope.,The Veteran's surgical scar, mid sternum is not unstable or painful, does not affect an area of at least 144 square inches (929 sq. cm.), and does not cause functional impairment of the affected area. The evidence did not show that his tinnitus meets the criteria for a compensable rating.,The Veteran's surgical scar, mid sternum is not rated as painful or unstable, so it cannot be rated under DC 7802. There are no indications of disabling effects in the Veteran's lay statements or medical evidence.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), Tinnitus, Surgical Scar, Mid Sternum
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 12, 2022
- Citation
- A22025096
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 A22025096.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
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 bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The claims for alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorder are remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The issue remains under direct service connection theory.
- Denied
The Veteran's hearing loss was rated at 30 percent, the highest non-compensable rating available. The Board found that his hearing loss did not warrant a higher rating based on VA examinations and medical records.
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