The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his service-connected heart disease was denied, and the claim for TDIU due to multiple service-connected disabilities was also denied.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not support a finding of entitlement to a higher rating for heart disease or that the Veteran could no longer secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Ischemic heart disease, Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Bilateral hearing loss, Tinnitus, Diabetes mellitus with erectile dysfunction, Bilateral lower extremity diabetic neuropathy, Amputation of toes on the right foot (right great toe and right fourth toe), Bilateral upper extremity neuropathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- February 12, 2026
- Citation
- A26013430
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 A26013430.
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 bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for an initial rating of 30 percent prior to July 18, 2014, and a higher than 60 percent rating thereafter for ischemic heart disease is being remanded due to incomplete evidence. The examiner needs to provide more detailed information about the severity of his service-connected condition.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for a low back disorder was reopened, and his claims for increased ratings of bilateral knee instability were granted. His hearing loss claim was denied.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for a higher rating for PTSD and dismissed his appeals regarding increased ratings for tinnitus and a right hand disability due to lack of timely filing of Notice of Disagreement.
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