The Board has determined that the veteran's death was not caused by a qualifying additional disability resulting from VA hospitalization, medical treatment, or examination. The cause of death was listed as 'complete heart block due to, or as consequence of ischemic heart disease,' with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease noted as contributing to the death.
The deciding factor: The Board found no competent medical evidence linking the veteran's fatal conditions (complete heart block and ischemic heart disease) to his December 1978 VA surgery for abdominal aortic aneurysm repair or any related treatment. The cause of death was attributed to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which is not considered a qualifying additional disability under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.
- Claimed conditions
- Complete heart block, Ischemic heart disease, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 10, 2000
- Citation
- 0006488
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 0006488.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) at the R(1) rate due to his need for regular aid and attendance.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeals for increased ratings of ischemic heart disease and diabetes, and these claims are dismissed.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, as none of the listed causes were related to his period of active duty or presumed exposure to herbicides.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple disabilities, including thoracolumbar spine disability, bilateral knee and hip disabilities, heart disease, erectile dysfunction, COPD, and denied an initial rating higher than 50 percent for MDD with GAD.
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