The Board found that the cause of death was not service-connected and denied DIC and DEA benefits. The veteran died from a myocardial infarction, but his service records are unavailable.
The deciding factor: Service medical records were unavailable due to destruction in a fire, making it impossible to determine if any service-connected condition contributed to the death.
- Claimed conditions
- massive myocardial infarction, degenerative arthritis of multiple joints including the left knee, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes mellitus, Type II, left ventricular enlargement, congestive heart failure
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 1, 2007
- Citation
- 0703047
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 0703047.
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
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Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to conflicting opinions regarding service connection for peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, and skin disabilities related to herbicide exposure.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension and increased rating for anxiety disorder have been denied. The Board found that there is no evidence of a current disability meeting the criteria for hypertension, and the Veteran's anxiety disorder does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
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