The Board denied the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of her husband's death, finding that there was no evidence linking his death to his active service or any pre-existing condition.
The deciding factor: There is no competent or credible evidence linking the Veteran's death to his active service, including a heart murmur noted at separation and presumed rheumatic heart disease.
- Claimed conditions
- Congestive heart failure, Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 13, 2013
- Citation
- 1325634
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 1325634.
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 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma on a presumptive basis under the PACT Act, effective March 2, 2017.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for back pain and neck pain, finding no current disability. The claim for Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is remanded due to inadequate consideration of all potential exposures.,The claim for an acquired psychiatric disability (PTSD) is also remanded due to a lack of development of the Veteran's therapist's records.
- 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
The Veteran is granted SMC at the (r)(1) rate due to his service-connected major depressive disorder and congestive heart failure, which require regular aid and attendance.
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