BVA decisions by condition
Peripheral arterial occlusive disease (buerger's disease): BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2017 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a peripheral arterial occlusive disease (buerger's disease) issue in 2,190 decisions. It granted the peripheral arterial occlusive disease (buerger's disease) issue in 21.1% of them, close to the 19.4% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 30.9%, and remanded it in 47.4%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 40.6% were granted.
Decisions
2,190
2017–2026
Granted
21.1%
All conditions: 19.4%
Granted on the merits
40.6%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
47.4%
Denied: 30.9%
Peripheral arterial occlusive disease (buerger's disease) outcomes by year
| Year | Decisions | Granted | Denied | Remanded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 151 | 7.9% | 37.1% | 51.0% |
| 2018 | 234 | 12.8% | 40.6% | 45.7% |
| 2019 | 271 | 13.3% | 34.3% | 50.9% |
| 2020 | 273 | 20.1% | 30.4% | 50.5% |
| 2021 | 295 | 23.4% | 32.9% | 43.4% |
| 2022 | 263 | 23.2% | 23.6% | 53.6% |
| 2023 | 255 | 28.6% | 27.5% | 44.3% |
| 2024 | 193 | 25.9% | 25.9% | 44.6% |
| 2025 | 172 | 29.1% | 27.3% | 44.2% |
| 2026 | 83 | 31.3% | 28.9% | 41.0% |
Evidence in granted and denied peripheral arterial occlusive disease (buerger's disease) decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the peripheral arterial occlusive disease (buerger's disease) issue on the merits when the decision mentioned it, compared with decisions that did not. These are associations, not causes, and evidence is recorded per decision, not per issue.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positive nexus opinion | 449 | 80.0% | 23.1% | +56.9 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 308 | 68.8% | 33.3% | +35.5 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 151 | 71.0% | 37.6% | +33.4 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 726 | 56.4% | 30.1% | +26.3 pts |
| Claimed as secondary | 957 | 54.6% | 31.4% | +23.1 pts |
| Combat service | 150 | 58.5% | 39.2% | +19.4 pts |
| Lay statement | 1,516 | 33.1% | 62.1% | −29.0 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 71.9% of the decisions that granted peripheral arterial occlusive disease (buerger's disease).
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 20.3% of grants and 8.6% of denials.
Negative evidence in the record
An unfavorable exam or a negative nexus opinion often sits in the same record as favorable evidence, and the Board weighs them against each other. So these rows show how often peripheral arterial occlusive disease (buerger's disease) was still granted when the record contained the negative item, not that the item helped.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Negative nexus opinion | 1,070 | 37.8% | 43.8% | −6.0 pts |
| Unfavorable VA exam | 1,458 | 37.3% | 50.3% | −13.1 pts |
Peripheral arterial occlusive disease (buerger's disease) claimed as a secondary condition
Decisions where peripheral arterial occlusive disease (buerger's disease) was claimed as secondary to another service-connected disability (38 CFR 3.310), by that disability.
Why the Board granted or denied peripheral arterial occlusive disease (buerger's disease)
Most common reasons in grants
- Current diagnosis established92
- Caused by the service-connected disability51
- Service connection established29
- Presumed herbicide exposure due to vietnam service7
- Aggravated by the service-connected disability6
- Criteria for service connection met6
- Presumed exposure to herbicide agents due to vietnam service5
- Secondary service connection granted5
Most common reasons in denials
- No current diagnosis78
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service73
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim72
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis65
- Service records negative or silent58
- Current diagnosis established30
- Aggravated by the service-connected disability17
- No continuity of symptomatology15
Numbers are decisions that gave the reason. Reasons are short phrases extracted by AI from each decision; common wordings of the same reason are grouped. Benefit of the doubt is reported above.
Recent peripheral arterial occlusive disease (buerger's disease) decisions
Granted
Criteria for 40% rating met; Doubt resolved in Veteran's favor; Ankle-brachial index between 0.54-0.66
Grant based on benefit of the doubt; VA opinion found to have low probative value; Repeated cold exposure could contribute to vascular damage
Conceded herbicide exposure in Vietnam; Prior VA exam inadequate; Private opinion highly probative; Benefit of the doubt applied
Denied
Primary disability (ischemic heart disease) not service-connected; No established in-service event for peripheral artery disease; No VA examination required due to lack of in-service event
Not chronic in service; No manifestation within presumptive period; No continuity of symptomatology; VA opinion found no nexus to service
Service treatment records silent for complaint, treatment, or diagnosis.; Diagnosis in 2019, decades after service.; VA examiner opined less likely than not caused by TERA; no nexus established.
Rules that apply to peripheral arterial occlusive disease (buerger's disease) claims
- 38 CFR 3.303
Principles of service connection
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.310
Secondary service connection and aggravation
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.102
Reasonable doubt (benefit of the doubt)
Read it in VA Law Explorer
Research your peripheral arterial occlusive disease (buerger's disease) case
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How these numbers are calculated
- Rates count decisions in which the Board decided a peripheral arterial occlusive disease (buerger's disease) issue, by the outcome of that issue. Other issues in the same decision can have different outcomes.
- “Granted on the merits” leaves out remands and dismissals. “All conditions” is the grant share across every condition issue in the data.
- The data comes from CaseScribe's AI extraction of public BVA decisions (2017–2026) and can contain errors. It is updated automatically as new decisions are added.