The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, as ischemic cardiomyopathy was not incurred during service or until many years after discharge and is not otherwise etiologically related to service.
The deciding factor: Ischemic cardiomyopathy was not incurred during service or until many years after discharge, and is not otherwise etiologically related to service. The veteran's service-connected left ankle scar from a gunshot wound of the left leg did not cause or contribute to his death.
- Claimed conditions
- Ischemic cardiomyopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 26, 2009
- Citation
- 0902686
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 remands the claim for a TERA-specific VA medical opinion to determine if the Veteran's ischemic cardiomyopathy is related to his in-service exposure to toxins, including asbestos.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for coronary artery disease, ischemic cardiomyopathy, aortic aneurysm as secondary to coronary artery disease, and arrhythmia as secondary to coronary artery disease. Sleep apnea was remanded for further consideration.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between any of his fatal conditions and his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the appeal to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error regarding the evidence of record at the time of the agency of original jurisdiction's decision.
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