The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected frostbite of both feet and left below knee amputation did not cause or contribute substantially to his death from coronary artery disease.
The deciding factor: A VA cardiologist concluded that the Veteran's cardiovascular disease resulted from his age, hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia, and was not caused by his cold exposure in service or by his frostbite.
- Claimed conditions
- Cardiovascular disease, Frostbite of both feet, Left below knee amputation
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- November 3, 2011
- Citation
- 1140951
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1140951.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for cardiovascular disease, finding that it is not shown to be causally or etiologically related to any disease, injury, or incident during service. The Veteran's condition was attributed to post-service factors such as obesity and hypertension.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded all five service connection claims due to a duty to assist error in failing to obtain National Guard records for ADT or IDT. The Veteran's exposure to insecticides during his New York Air National Guard service is considered presumptive for hypertension, cardiovascular disease, CKD, COPD, and CLL.
- Whole decision: Granted
The veteran was granted an effective date of September 11, 2019 for the award of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) and basic eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's left leg disability, which is rated as status post left below knee amputation, has already been assigned the maximum rating of 40 percent. The Board found that a higher rating is not warranted due to the nature of the amputation and the current rating being the highest possible under the applicable criteria.
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