The Board found that the veteran's service-connected rheumatic fever substantially or materially contributed to his death due to cardiac arrhythmia, hypotension, dehydration, and gastroenteritis.
The deciding factor: Service-connected rheumatic fever played a significant role in causing the veteran's heart condition which led to his death from cardiac arrhythmia.
- Claimed conditions
- rheumatic fever, hypotension, dehydration, gastroenteritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 3, 2003
- Citation
- 0300087
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 0300087.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for a compensable rating and an increased rating for gastritis, gastroenteritis, and GERD to obtain a retrospective medical opinion on the severity of the Veteran's symptoms without the ameliorative effects of medication.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for chronic sinusitis, fibromyalgia, left and right ear hearing loss, and gastroenteritis, but granted service connection for migraine headaches. The claims for an initial evaluation higher than 30 percent for chronic sinusitis and 20 percent for fibromyalgia were also denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and a new opinion regarding the Veteran's cause of death.
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