The Board found that the cause of death, cardio-respiratory failure due to a cerebral vascular accident, was not caused by or substantially contributed to by any service-connected disability. The appellant's allegations regarding POW-related disabilities were insufficient to establish service connection for the cause of death.
The deciding factor: There is no direct evidence linking ischemic heart disease and malaria to active duty service, nor are there sufficient post-service medical records to support presumptive service connection based on the veteran's status as a former prisoner of war (POW).
- Claimed conditions
- Ischemic Heart Disease, Malaria
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 8, 2004
- Citation
- 0406056
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 0406056.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for a rating in excess of 30 percent for service-connected migraines, service connection for bilateral hearing loss, and service connection for malaria due to missing evidence and incomplete medical opinions.
- Partly granted
The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to the service-connected intervertebral disc syndrome with lumbar spondylosis alone effective February 13, 2015.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for diabetes, ischemic heart disease, hypertension, and neuropathy of the right and left upper and lower extremities as secondary to diabetes due to herbicide exposure during the Veteran's service in Okinawa.
- Granted
Service connection for the Veteran's cause of death, due to ischemic heart disease and coronary heart disease, is granted based on presumed exposure to herbicides during service at U-Tapao RTAFB in Thailand.
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