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 assigned
- 80%
- 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0508335.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected conditions render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for frostbite, finding it to be causally related to the Veteran's military service.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
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.