The Board denied the veteran's claims for an earlier effective date, increased ratings, and TDIU, but granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability beginning September 29, 2023.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show that the heart disorder had worsened to a degree warranting an increase in compensation prior to May 9, 2022, and the tension headaches and acquired psychiatric disorder did not meet the criteria for increased ratings during the appeal period. The veteran's service-connected disabilities precluded him from securing and maintaining a substantially gainful occupation beginning September 29, 2023.
- Claimed conditions
- heart disorder (atherosclerotic heart disease (coronary artery disease (CAD)) with percutaneous placement of a coronary artery stent), tension headaches, acquired psychiatric disorder (adjustment disorder with mixed disturbance of emotions and conduct)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 2, 2025
- Citation
- A25030557
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
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including tension headaches, bilateral plantar fasciitis, and a bilateral hearing loss disability. The Board also denied an initial compensable rating for the Veteran's headache disability.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for tension headaches, alternatively diagnosed as migraine headaches, finding that the evidence did not show characteristic prostrating attacks averaging one in 2 months over the last several months.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter for a retrospective medical assessment regarding the severity of the Veteran's headaches without medication to determine if an earlier effective date for a 50 percent disability rating is warranted.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for tension headaches, as the evidence did not show characteristic prostrating attacks averaging one in two months over the last several months.
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