The Board granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his service-connected PTSD contributed substantially and materially to his death.
The deciding factor: The VA physician concluded that the Veteran's service-connected PTSD increased the risk of cardiac death by leading to a greater demand for oxygen due to panic attacks, which could have triggered a fatal myocardial infarction given his severe CAD.
- Claimed conditions
- coronary artery disease (CAD), interstitial lung disease, pneumonia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 4, 2009
- Citation
- 0907888
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for left foot bursitis and coronary artery disease, as well as special monthly compensation based on housebound status.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for pneumonia and remanded the claims for iodine allergy, pilonidal cyst, sulfa allergy, heart disability, acquired psychiatric disorder, and lower and upper extremity disabilities.
- Partly granted
The Board granted restoration of a 60 percent rating for coronary artery disease (CAD) effective June 1, 2021, and increased ratings for mid-sternum scar, left lower extremity (LLE) scar, and migraines to 10%, 20%, and 50% respectively, all effective October 26, 2020.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to an inadequate VA medical opinion and a need for additional evidence.
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