The Board has determined that the veteran's heart disorder is related to his service-connected PTSD and therefore grants secondary service connection for this condition.
The deciding factor: The evidence shows a causal link between the veteran's service-connected PTSD and his current heart disorder, which was caused by endocarditis resulting from IV drug abuse. The Federal Circuit in Allen v. Principi held that 38 U.S.C.A. § 1110 does not preclude compensation for an alcohol or drug abuse disability secondary to a service connected disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Heart Disorder
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- May 29, 2002
- Citation
- 0205543
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 0205543.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities. The claims for a heart disorder and prostate cancer were remanded.
- Partly granted
The Board denied an initial compensable rating for COPD and remanded the claims for service connection for a heart disorder and chronic kidney disease.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD with unspecified depressive disorder, resolving any reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for bradycardia or other heart disorder as secondary to service-connected hypertension due to insufficient evidence in the record.
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