The Board denied an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease as the evidence did not show a workload of more than 5 but less than 7 METs resulting in heart failure symptoms or other relevant criteria.
The deciding factor: The August 2020 and September 2022 VA examiners indicated that exercise stress testing is not required as part of the Veteran's current treatment plan, and there was no evidence of cardiac hypertrophy or dilatation. The Veteran's METs level did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Coronary artery disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 9, 2024
- Citation
- 24001359
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
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