Question:
My husband's disability rating was reduced to 30% for IHD after he recovered from his bypass surgery. He has dementia that started around the time of surgery. A recent brain scan shows he's had a stroke. Is there a possibility of increasing his rating for IHD due to declining cognition being caused partially by stroke?
Jim's Reply:
Yes...but the IHD won't increase, this will be a new claim for the stroke. You can make the claim that his stroke was caused by, contributed to or aggravated by the bypass surgery that was treatment for the service connected condition. Ask his doctors to make a note to his chart to that effect and file the claim.