The Board found that the Veteran's systolic heart murmur was not incurred or aggravated by active service and denied his claim for service connection.
The deciding factor: There is clear and unmistakable evidence showing that the Veteran's pre-existing rheumatic heart disease existed prior to service and was not aggravated during service.
- Claimed conditions
- rheumatic heart disease, systolic heart murmur
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- February 27, 2013
- Citation
- 1306747
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 1306747.
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: Granted
The Veteran's avascular necrosis left hip, right foot pain, and left foot pain are all granted as service-connected.,Service connection is also granted for right ankle sprain, left ankle arthralgia, right shoulder pain, lumbago (lower back pain), and systolic heart murmur. Service connection for abnormal skin pigmentation and OSA (sleep apnea) is denied.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including left and right ankle disabilities, an acquired psychiatric disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a traumatic brain injury, and various other disabilities.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board granted service connection for systolic heart murmur, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, metastatic disease of the spine, hypertension (HTN), hepatic lesions, mediastinal lymphadenopathy, epigastric pain, and reticuloendothelial disability as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lung cancer. Hyperlipidemia was denied.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The veteran's claim for service connection for rheumatic heart disease was granted. The claim for hypertensive vascular disease was remanded.
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.