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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the service connection claims for Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Heart Disorder due to a duty to assist error in obtaining opinions regarding whether these conditions are aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a heart disorder and OSA, as secondary to a heart disorder due to incomplete records and failure to consider all relevant in-service exposures. The Veteran's exposure to PFAS at Robins AFB is acknowledged, but further development is needed to address his COPD and smoking history.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim of compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for a heart disorder is being remanded due to the inadequacy of the July 2020 VA medical opinion, which did not adequately address the Veteran's assertions regarding the carelessness or negligence of his health care providers and the failure to diagnose and treat his heart condition.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's heart disorder, characterized as an exercise induced left bundle branch block, began during his active duty service and is therefore granted service connection.
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