The Board found that the veteran's service-connected disabilities did not cause or contribute substantially to his death from ischemic cardiomyopathy.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence does not establish a direct causal relationship between the veteran's service-connected disabilities and his death from ischemic cardiomyopathy.
- Claimed conditions
- frostbite, amputation of left great toe with removal of metatarsal head, amputation of right great toe with removal of metatarsal head, moderate residuals of frozen feet with return circulation impaired with both feet cold and cyanotic, amputation of second, third, fourth, and fifth toes bilaterally as residuals of frozen feet with callus formation, shrapnel wound of the lateral aspect of the right arm
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 21, 2005
- Citation
- 0508335
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0508335.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's chilblain and frostbite of the bilateral hand and fingers were granted service connection as they are related to his active military service.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board has denied service connection for frostbite of the bilateral upper and lower extremities, finding no current diagnosis. Service connection was granted for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to in-service cold exposure.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's service-connected conditions render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board granted service connection for frostbite, finding it to be causally related to the Veteran's military service.
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