The deciding factor: The symptoms of mild enlargement of the heart and hypertension do not meet the criteria for a higher evaluation under Diagnostic Code 7000 (rheumatic heart disease).
- Claimed conditions
- Psychiatric disorder, Atrial fibrillation
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- March 26, 2010
- Citation
- 1011477
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 1011477.
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 granted service connection for congestive heart failure with implanted pacemaker, bradycardia, valvular heart disease, and atrial fibrillation, secondary to the Veteran's service-connected hypertension.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 100 percent evaluation for coronary artery disease and awarded special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance, while denying earlier effective dates for both conditions and an increased rating for atrial fibrillation.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for atrial fibrillation and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with congestive heart failure to correct an error by the AOJ in satisfying a regulatory or statutory duty.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board is remanding the claim for service connection of the Veteran's cause of death due to a lack of adequate medical evidence regarding the potential nexus between atrial fibrillation and in-service exposure, as well as other service-connected disabilities.
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