An effective date of February 16, 2023, but no earlier, for the grant of service connection for hypertensive heart disease with valvular heart disease and atrioventricular block is granted. The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded to determine if he was unemployable solely by reason of his service-connected hypertensive heart disease with valvular heart disease and atrioventricular block prior to November 14, 2023.
The deciding factor: The effective date for the grant of service connection is determined based on the date of receipt of the claim or the date entitlement arose, whichever is later. In this case, the earliest possible effective date is February 16, 2023, corresponding to the effective date of service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- hypertensive heart disease, valvular heart disease, atriioventricular block
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- March 13, 2026
- Citation
- A26022903
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 A26022903.
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 Veteran's claims for increased ratings for valvular heart disease, peripheral vascular disease of the right and left legs, and hypertension were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher ratings under the applicable rating criteria.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating higher than 30 percent for cardiomegaly with cardiac hypertrophy and valvular heart disease has been dismissed due to the appellant withdrawing the appeal.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetes, peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, and other conditions, rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment prior to July 21, 2025.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertensive heart disease as secondary to his service-connected hypertension.
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