The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death based on new medical evidence, including diagnoses of coronary heart disease and statements from fellow POWs who witnessed his health issues during captivity. The Board finds that ischemic heart disease is presumed to have been incurred due to the veteran's captivity as a POW while on active duty, meeting the criteria for service connection.
The deciding factor: The new medical evidence establishes that the veteran had coronary heart disease and was malnourished and vitamin deficient during his time as a prisoner of war, which materially contributed to his death.
- Claimed conditions
- hypertensive cardiovascular disease, malnutrition, avitaminosis
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 26, 2002
- Citation
- 0217106
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 0217106.
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.
- Dismissed
The claim for entitlement to service connection for hypotension was dismissed, and the issue of entitlement to service connection for hypertensive cardiovascular disease was remanded.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the veteran's claimed conditions, including left and right shoulder disabilities, avitaminosis, non-iron deficient anemia, and thigh muscle disabilities.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for the Veteran's cause of death, finding that his hypertensive cardiovascular disease began during service.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and remanded the claims for other conditions due to insufficient evidence.
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