The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death and eligibility for Survivor's and Dependent's Educational Assistance benefits under 38 U.S.C. § Chapter 35, as there was no evidence that a service-connected disability caused or contributed to the Veteran's death.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence did not establish a link between any service-connected condition and the cause of the Veteran's death, nor did it show that hypertension, which began after his first period of service, was incurred in or aggravated by active duty.
- Claimed conditions
- Cardiac arrhythmia, Arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 19, 2009
- Citation
- 0906110
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 claims for service connection for cardiac arrhythmia, functional abdominal pain syndrome/abdominal pain and bloating, other than IBS or GERD, and respiratory insufficiency (dyspnea) due to duty to assist errors in the VA examinations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for further development and to correct duty-to-assist errors, including verifying Persian Gulf service and obtaining additional medical opinions.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, as there was no evidence that any of his service-connected disabilities contributed to or caused his death.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for cardiac arrhythmia, coronary artery disease, and a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss. The claims for service connection of chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic sinusitis, functional abdominal pain syndrome with abdominal pain and bloating, irritable bowel syndrome, respiratory insufficiency and dyspnea, left knee disability, right knee disability, and low back disability were remanded.
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.