The Board found that the veteran's service-connected disabilities did not cause or contribute substantially to his death. The VA examiner concluded that PTSD, while contributing to some of the veteran's underlying medical problems, was unlikely to have caused or contributed to the development of congestive heart failure and ischemic myocardium.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found other risk factors such as smoking, hypercholesterolemia, and diabetes mellitus more likely to have contributed to the development of coronary artery disease leading to congestive heart failure and ischemic myocardium.
- Claimed conditions
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Chronic Back Strain, Left Ankle Disability, Tinnitus, Right Hand Disability, Left Hand Disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 20, 2008
- Citation
- 0828320
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 0828320.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) due to a verified in-service stressor, and the positive and negative medical evidence is at least in equipoise.
- 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
Your claim for a higher rating and service connection for PTSD has been granted. The new evidence supports reopening your case.
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