The Board denied the claim for presumptive service connection based on the veteran's status as a former prisoner of war, and found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the previously denied claim.
The deciding factor: The competent medical evidence did not reflect findings of atherosclerotic heart disease or hypertensive vascular disease, and the evidence added since 1975 was cumulative and redundant.
- Claimed conditions
- Atherosclerotic heart disease, Hypertensive vascular disease
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 14, 2009
- Citation
- 0901580
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.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted eligibility for assistance in acquiring specially adapted housing due to his permanent and total service-connected disability affecting both lower extremities, which precludes locomotion without the aid of assistive devices.
- Granted
The Board grants the Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date of January 25, 2022, for the award of service connection for heart disabilities based on direct service connection.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim for service connection for the Veteran's cause of death, which was due to atherosclerotic heart disease.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for liver cancer, hypertensive vascular disease, kidney disease, and upper respiratory disability due to a duty to assist error.
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.