The Veteran's coronary atherosclerotic heart disease, status post myocardial infarction, and obstructed arterial disease of the lower extremities with claudication are etiologically related to or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence establishes that the Veteran's use of tobacco products was a substantial factor in causing at least peripheral vascular cardiovascular disease, since cigarette smoking is the strongest risk factor for peripheral vascular disease. The VHA reviewer further opined that there was at least a 50 percent probability that the Veteran's other diagnosed cardiovascular disorders would not have occurred but for the use of tobacco products.
- Claimed conditions
- coronary atherosclerotic heart disease, status post myocardial infarction, obstructed arterial disease of the lower extremities with claudication
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 20, 2010
- Citation
- 1031474
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 1031474.
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
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Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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The Board granted a 20 percent disability rating for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy from April 3, 2023 onward, but denied higher ratings prior to that date. Service connection was also granted for alcohol use disorder as secondary to PTSD with traumatic brain injury.
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