The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for coronary artery disease, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and colitis as these conditions were not incurred or aggravated by service. The claim for encephalomalacia was previously denied due to lack of evidence supporting its relationship to service.
The deciding factor: There is no competent clinical evidence linking the veteran's diagnosed conditions (CAD, HTN, hyperlipidemia, and colitis) to any incident or injury during service or to other service-connected disabilities. The only supportive statement comes from a private physician who opined that these conditions may be related to trauma sustained in Vietnam, but provided no rationale for this opinion.
- Claimed conditions
- Coronary artery disease (CAD), Hypertension (HTN), Hyperlipidemia, Colitis
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 17, 2003
- Citation
- 0316205
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 0316205.
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 an earlier effective date for a TDIU due to service-connected disabilities prior to February 14, 2025, as the evidence did not show that he was precluded from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment during the appeal period.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for insomnia, fatigue, gallstones, varicose veins, anemia, colitis, and PTSD due to a lack of evidence supporting the claims.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) for further development and readjudication.
- Partly granted
The Board denied increased ratings for Parkinsonism and CAD, but granted SMC based on the loss of use of the hands and need for regular aid and attendance.
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.