The Veteran's death was caused by complications of chronic atrial fibrillation, and the Board finds that his ischemic heart disease is likely due to herbicide exposure during service. Service connection for cause of death is granted.
The deciding factor: Ischemic heart disease, including atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, has been associated with Agent Orange exposure, and the Veteran's heart findings are consistent with this condition.
- Claimed conditions
- Atrial Fibrillation, Cardiomyopathy, Ischemic Heart Disease
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 16, 2011
- Citation
- 1134824
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 1134824.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for heart condition was granted with an effective date of August 1, 2019. The decision is based on evidence showing exposure to diesel and gas fuel during service.
- Granted
Service connection for OSA is granted, and the Veteran's initial ratings for atrial fibrillation, right upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, right upper extremity neuralgia, and left upper extremity neuralgia are all granted at 10 percent.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for Congestive Heart Failure with Atrial Fibrillation with AICD and Hypertension (High Blood Pressure), finding that there was no evidence of direct service connection, and that the conditions were not caused or aggravated by service-connected OSA.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected ischemic heart disease was granted a 30% disability rating effective August 31, 2010. The condition manifested as cardiac hypertrophy and a workload of greater than 5.0 but less than 7.0 METs without congestive heart failure or LVEF of 50 percent or less.
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