The Board granted a TDIU due to service-connected PTSD and denied an initial rating greater than 10 percent for CAD, as well as TDUIs related to thoracic strain with osteophytic spurring and epicondylitis, right elbow.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's heart disease did not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, but PTSD alone did. The Board considered the impact of multiple service-connected disabilities on employability.
- Claimed conditions
- Coronary artery disease (CAD), Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Thoracic strain with osteophytic spurring, Epicondylitis, right elbow
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- July 14, 2025
- Citation
- 25009141
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 the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a TDIU due to service-connected disabilities prior to February 14, 2025, as the evidence did not show that he was precluded from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment during the appeal period.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) for further development and readjudication.
- Partly granted
The Board denied increased ratings for Parkinsonism and CAD, but granted SMC based on the loss of use of the hands and need for regular aid and attendance.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for degenerative joint disease of the right hip, left hip, and left shoulder, as well as PTSD. The claim for a higher rating for the right knee scar was denied.
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