The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection as there is no persuasive medical evidence establishing a connection between his heart murmur and severe mitral valve regurgitation with events or injuries during active military service.
The deciding factor: The January 2009 VA examiner concluded that there was no evidence documenting chronic aggravation of the Veteran's underlying mitral valve prolapse or valve disorder, as cardiovascular literature does not support the assertion that exercise causes or chronically aggravates the condition of mitral valve prolapse. The Board also noted the passage of more than 30 years from service in which the Veteran did not complain of or seek treatment for any heart problems.
- Claimed conditions
- heart murmur, severe mitral valve regurgitation
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 5, 2009
- Citation
- 0921278
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 0921278.
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 Board has granted service connection for heart murmur and allergic rhinitis, finding the current conditions are related to service. Service connection was denied for headaches and residuals of traumatic brain injury due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim of service connection for a heart condition due to severe electrocution, as there is insufficient evidence in the record to determine if his symptoms are related to his active service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's current heart disability, including atrial fibrillation and a heart murmur, is related to his service. The Veteran must be provided with an examination to determine if any heart condition had its onset during service or is otherwise linked to his military service.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeal before the Board could make a decision on the claims. The Board dismissed the appeal as a result.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
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.