The Veteran's request for a higher rating for his coronary artery disease (CAD) prior to December 15, 2020 is denied. A 100 percent disability rating for CAD beginning December 15, 2020 is granted.,The Veteran's request for TDIU on an extraschedular basis prior to December 15, 2020 is remanded due to insufficient evidence of unemployability.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not support a higher rating for CAD prior to December 15, 2020 as the Veteran's symptoms were consistent with a 30 percent disability rating at that time.,The combined rating of service-connected disabilities (CAD, bilateral tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia residuals) does not meet the criteria for TDIU under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(a).
- Claimed conditions
- Coronary Artery Disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 8, 2024
- Citation
- A24073396
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 709 · Granted: 38% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 A24073396.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's TDIU was granted effective March 2, 2018, due to his service-connected disabilities including PTSD and other conditions. The decision also noted that the Veteran is currently self-employed as a truck driver.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for a heart disability and hypertension due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors. The AOJ is required to obtain addendum medical opinions regarding toxic exposure risk activities (TERA).
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for SMC in excess of SMC(n) based on his service-connected conditions and additional disabilities, as well as his need for aid and attendance. The appeal was dismissed.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to pre-decisional error and insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's heart condition, hypertension, and hearing loss/tinnitus.
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