The Veteran was granted a TDIU, SMC, and DEA benefits for his service-connected heart disability effective May 22, 2023. The Appellant is eligible for the direct payment of attorney fees based on past-due benefits awarded to the Veteran.
The deciding factor: The April 2024 Rating Decision granted a TDIU, SMC, and DEA benefits for the service-connected heart disability, which constituted a qualifying request for review of the initial decision on the issue of an increased rating for the service-connected heart disability and a TDIU.
- Claimed conditions
- Heart disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- January 7, 2026
- Citation
- A26001261
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 A26001261.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
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 a heart disability, finding that the Veteran's current heart diagnoses are not related to his military service.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to March 2, 2015, for TDIU was denied as the evidence did not show actual worsening within one year prior to his March 2, 2015, claim.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied service connection for a right shoulder disability and remanded the case for further action on heart disability. The decision regarding right shoulder disability is that it was not incurred in or aggravated by service.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection for a heart disability, claiming chest pains. The May 1997 rating decision found that new and material evidence was not submitted within the required timeframe.
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