The Board found that the veteran's fatal cardiopulmonary arrest and acute myocardial infarction were not caused by, or substantially or materially contributed to by, a disability or disease incurred in service. The cause of death was determined to be sudden cardiac arrest.
The deciding factor: The VA medical opinions concluded that the veteran's hypertension did not result from his service-connected arthritis and pain medication, but rather from electrical dysfunction leading to sudden cardiac arrest.
- Claimed conditions
- Arthritis of left knee, Total knee replacement of right knee, Low back strain with arthritis, Arthritis of both hips
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 4, 2008
- Citation
- 0807461
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 0807461.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for arthritis of the left hand, right hand, left knee, and right knee as secondary to service-connected hepatitis C (HCV) due to procedural errors in obtaining medical opinions addressing whether HCV caused or aggravated these conditions.
- Denied
The appeal concerning the earlier effective date for the award of a 60% rating for total right knee arthroplasty is dismissed. The Veteran's other claims and benefits are addressed, with some granted and others denied.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for arthritis of both ankles, bilateral elbow disability, and left hand disability as secondary to residuals of left knee injury with instability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including arthritis in his hands and fingers, a psychiatric disorder, arthritis of his hips, cervical spine, left knee, wrists, and right knee. The issues of arthritis of the bilateral hips, cervical spine, left knee, and bilateral wrists have been remanded due to insufficient medical opinions. The issue of hypertension has also been remanded for further examination.
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.