The Board has granted service connection for arteriosclerotic heart disease and denied service connection for a hearing loss disability. The veteran's claims were based on his POW captivity, but the denial of both conditions is due to lack of edema during captivity for heart disease and no competent medical evidence linking current hearing loss to service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the veteran did not have localized edema during his POW captivity, which was a requirement for presumptive service connection. The hearing loss claim was denied because there was no competent medical evidence linking the current disability to service.
- Claimed conditions
- heart disease, beriberi with swollen legs, joints, feet, and ankles, hearing loss disability
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 22, 2003
- Citation
- 0328459
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 0328459.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for hearing loss disability, neck strain, and tinea pedis. The Veteran's claim for an increased initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus was also denied. The claims for service connection for right and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome were remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for an eye condition, hearing loss, heart disease, arthritis, and diabetes due to a regulatory duty to assist error.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for ischemic heart disease, heart disease, and congestive heart failure as not being related to the Veteran's active service. The Board also denied an earlier effective date for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for heart disease and diabetes mellitus to obtain additional medical opinions.
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