The Board has determined that the veteran's current diagnoses of aortic valve thickening with aortic insufficiency, mitral insufficiency, tricuspid insufficiency, and atrial fibrillation are residuals of an episode of rheumatic fever he contracted during service. As such, service connection for these conditions is granted.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the veteran's current diagnoses were compatible with a history of rheumatic fever but not typical for classic rheumatic valvular disease.
- Claimed conditions
- rheumatic fever, aortic valve thickening with aortic insufficiency, mitral insufficiency, tricuspid insufficiency, atriial fibrillation
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 9, 2003
- Citation
- 0327052
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 0327052.
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.
- Partly granted
The veteran's claims for service connection for several conditions, including low back disability and diabetes mellitus, type II, were granted. The claim for rheumatic fever was remanded.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's heart disability including atrial fibrillation, stable angina, supraventricular premature complexes, status post implantable loop recorder, status post endovascular surgery due to aortic dissection, and palpitations, finding that there was no evidence of an in-service injury or disease related to these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the appeal for further development due to new evidence added since the April 2024 supplemental statement of the case and consideration of both the former and revised versions of the rating criteria.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea due to PTSD and/or heart conditions, including a need for additional opinions on whether these conditions have caused or aggravated his obstructive sleep apnea.
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