The veteran's death was caused by atherosclerotic heart disease, which is presumed to have been incurred due to his service as a POW. The Board granted the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.
The deciding factor: Atherosclerotic heart disease, a condition associated with former POWs, was found to be present at the time of the veteran's death and presumed to have been incurred due to his military service as a POW.
- Claimed conditions
- atherosclerotic heart disease, acute myocardial infarction
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 27, 2005
- Citation
- 0502043
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 0502043.
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple conditions, including a bilateral eye disability and cardiovascular conditions, based on the Veteran's in-service occupational exposures.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, and atherosclerotic heart disease due to the interwoven issue of character of discharge.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, hypertension, and atherosclerotic heart disease based on presumed exposure to herbicides. Erectile dysfunction was also granted as secondary to the service-connected hypertension. Hand tremors were denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an addendum opinion regarding the Veteran's cause of death, specifically addressing whether in-service toxic exposures led to hypertension and ultimately caused his death.
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.