The veteran's current heart disorder was not related to his active military service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner opined that it was less likely than not that the 1997 complaints of chest pain were indicative of cardiovascular disease in service, and there is no evidence linking the current heart disorder to service.
- Claimed conditions
- heart disorder, coronary artery disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 15, 2008
- Citation
- 0815951
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.
- Dismissed
The appeal for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, service connection for right ear hearing loss, and bilateral vision condition was dismissed. Service connection for hypertension, congestive heart failure, and coronary artery disease was denied.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus, type II, left eye diabetic retinopathy, left foot diabetic peripheral neuropathy, right foot diabetic peripheral neuropathy, and coronary artery disease, as well as the Veteran's cause of death.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for a heart disorder, specifically atrial fibrillation, due to exposure to herbicide agents during active duty service in the Republic of Vietnam.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for coronary artery disease to correct duty to assist errors, as there are no adequate medical opinions of record.
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