The Board granted a 100 percent evaluation for coronary artery disease and awarded special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance, while denying earlier effective dates for both conditions and an increased rating for atrial fibrillation.
The deciding factor: The decision was based on the evidence showing that the Veteran's coronary artery disease symptoms more nearly approximated a 100 percent disability evaluation during the period on appeal, but his atrial fibrillation did not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The effective dates could not be earlier than December 23, 2013, due to the secondary nature of the service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- Atrial fibrillation, Coronary artery disease, status post coronary artery bypass graft
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 22, 2025
- Citation
- A25109944
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 945 · Granted: 43% (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 A25109944.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claim of entitlement to SMC based on the need for aid and attendance for the Veteran's spouse due to conflicting information in the June 2025 examination. A VA examination is needed to determine if the spouse requires regular aid and attendance.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death (acute respiratory failure, atrial fibrillation, and/or hypertension) is related to his active duty service, including from exposure to toxins and chemicals from open burn pits during the harsh winters in Korea. The Board finds a pre-decisional duty to assist error and remands for obtaining a VA medical opinion.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's death was caused by cardiopulmonary arrest, with congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and coronary artery disease presence of stent as the underlying cause. The Board has determined that there is a need for additional medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's hypertension, which he had during service, contributed to his death.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for cause of death, finding that his service-connected conditions did not contribute to his death. The evidence showed well-controlled heart symptoms prior to death and no causal relationship between anxiety and cardiopulmonary disease or renal failure.
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