The veteran was granted service connection for aortic stenosis due to rheumatic fever during service. Service connection for degenerative changes at L4-5 and L5-S1 is denied as there is no evidence of such condition in service or within one year post-service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the veteran had rheumatic fever during service, which resulted in aortic stenosis. The examiner also noted that ASHD was not related to the rheumatic fever and occurred over many years unrelated to service.
- Claimed conditions
- aortic stenosis, atherosclerotic heart disease (ASHD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 5, 2006
- Citation
- 0600143
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 609 · Granted: 22% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 0600143.
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 Veteran's cause of death, which included atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, is presumed to be related to herbicide agent exposure during service at Fort McClellan. The Board granted the claim for service connection for the cause of death.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for service connection and increased ratings were dismissed as untimely. The Board found that the Veteran did not provide a timely appeal request, despite having received notification of the rating decisions.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for aortic insufficiency, aortic stenosis and congestive heart failure, and carotid artery disease. The conditions are related to in-service exposure to toxic substances and stress.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the severance of service connection for atherosclerotic coronary artery disease/aortic stenosis status post aortic valve replacement was improper, and thus restored the original grant of service connection.
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