The Board found that the veteran's service-connected conditions did not cause or contribute to his death, and denied both the claim for service connection for the cause of death and basic eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence showed no direct link between the veteran's service-connected rheumatic heart disease with mitral insufficiency and his death from a perforated duodenal ulcer complicated by sepsis, warm shock, and cardiac arrest.
- Claimed conditions
- rheumatic heart disease, mitral insufficiency, arthralgia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 4, 2003
- Citation
- 0303682
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 0303682.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a left ankle condition to obtain an addendum opinion addressing the nature and etiology of the Veteran's tarsal tunnel syndrome, or any other possible ankle nerve disability.
- Partly granted
The veteran's claim for service connection for rheumatic heart disease was granted. The claim for hypertensive vascular disease was remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for glaucoma, Parkinson's disease, and dementia due to potential TERA exposure. The rating for bilateral hearing loss is also being remanded.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.