The Board has determined that the veteran's death was due to a service-connected disability (PTSD) and therefore, service connection for the cause of death is granted. The DIC benefits claim under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 is moot as the appellant did not contest this aspect in her appeal.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the veteran's PTSD was a contributing factor to his fatal myocardial infarction, which was caused by underlying medical conditions such as coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, and hyperlipidemia. As PTSD contributed substantially to the cause of death, service connection for the cause of death is granted.
- Claimed conditions
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Atherosclerotic Heart Disease, Hypertensive Vascular Disease
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- February 21, 2007
- Citation
- 0704803
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 0704803.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for a higher rating for PTSD and dismissed his appeals regarding increased ratings for tinnitus and a right hand disability due to lack of timely filing of Notice of Disagreement.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD is rated at a 70 percent level, reflecting significant occupational and social impairment.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal of the denial for service connection for PTSD has been dismissed because the issue was already under review through Higher-Level Review.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected PTSD renders him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, warranting a TDIU.
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