The Board finds that the service-connected conditions did not cause or contribute substantially to the Veteran's death. The Veteran's cardiovascular issues were more likely related to his smoking and dyslipidemia, rather than his service-connected back injury.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner concluded that the service-connected disabilities (spondylolisthesis of L5-S1 vertebral column and leg length discrepancy) did not contribute to the cause of death due to cardiovascular disease. The primary risk factors for coronary artery disease were identified as a 30-year history of smoking and dyslipidemia.
- Claimed conditions
- Rupture of myocardium, Myocardial infarction, Ischemic heart disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 4, 2009
- Citation
- 0921027
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 0921027.
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 Veteran's claim for an initial rating of 30 percent prior to July 18, 2014, and a higher than 60 percent rating thereafter for ischemic heart disease is being remanded due to incomplete evidence. The examiner needs to provide more detailed information about the severity of his service-connected condition.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there was no evidence linking his myocardial infarction and COPD to his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date and increased rating for ischemic heart disease due to a failure by the AOJ to request SSA records, which were not available.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for ischemic heart disease and myocardial infarction, status post stent placement, as well as obstructive sleep apnea, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his military service.
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