The Board found that the veteran's nicotine dependence and smoking tobacco use during service caused his atherosclerotic heart disease, which led to his acute myocardial infarction resulting in his death. As such, he was granted service connection for the cause of his death.
The deciding factor: Nicotine dependence developed during service and continued post-service, leading to lifelong smoking habits that contributed to the veteran's atherosclerotic heart disease (ASHD) which caused his acute myocardial infarction resulting in his death.
- Claimed conditions
- Atherosclerotic Heart Disease (ASHD), Diabetes Mellitus
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 19, 2002
- Citation
- 0210056
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 0210056.
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 increased ratings for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and a psychiatric disability due to insufficient evidence of the severity required for higher ratings.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for his diabetes mellitus, a higher rating for PTSD with alcohol use disorder, and a total disability rating due to service-connected disabilities.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for a heart disability, diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities, but denied service connection for multiple tooth trauma.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the case to obtain a medical opinion addressing whether the Veteran's service-connected PTSD caused or aggravated his cardiovascular diseases, which were listed as contributing causes of death.
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