The Board found that the veteran's death was caused by tobacco use during service, which contributed to his atherosclerotic heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The VA examiner opined that nicotine dependence likely began in service.
The deciding factor: Nicotine dependence developed in service and contributed materially to the veteran's fatal conditions of atherosclerotic heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
- Claimed conditions
- Atherosclerotic heart disease, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 23, 2002
- Citation
- 0204994
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 0204994.
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 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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, finding no current disability and insufficient evidence of an in-service event or exposure.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type 2, a heart condition as secondary to hypertension, and lower extremity vascular disability as secondary to diabetes mellitus type 2. The claims for peripheral neuropathy in all four extremities and amputation of toes were also granted as secondary to diabetes mellitus type 2. However, the claims for a neck condition, COPD, gall bladder removal, and chronic kidney disease were denied.
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