The Board found that the veteran's service-connected conditions did not cause his death, and denied both claims for service connection.
The deciding factor: The expert medical opinion concluded that rheumatic fever did not substantially or materially contribute to the veteran's death, as there was no evidence of its impact on his heart over time.
- Claimed conditions
- Neurasthenia, Recurrent Rheumatic Fever
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 25, 2000
- Citation
- 0019474
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 0019474.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded two issues of service connection: TBI due to combat trauma and neurasthenia from fever due to malaria. The Veteran's claims are being reviewed again as the current evidence does not clearly establish these conditions, but there is potential for a link to service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that an adequate opinion is required to determine if the Veteran's generalized anxiety disorder was a principal or contributory cause of death. The claim for DIC under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 remains denied as there is no legal basis for entitlement.
- Granted
The veteran's service-connected psychiatric disorder causes reduced productivity, but does not result in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas. A 50 percent rating is granted for the veteran's service-connected psychiatric disability.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
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