The Veteran's service connection claim for residuals of rheumatic fever, including mitral regurgitation and subsequent valve replacement, has been granted. The issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability is held in abeyance due to the need for additional development.
The deciding factor: Service connection was established as the Veteran's catarrhal or rheumatic fever during service resulted in residuals including mitral regurgitation with heart valve failure and eventual valve replacement.
- Claimed conditions
- catarrhal fever, rheumatic fever, mitral regurgitation, heart valve failure, valve replacement
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 30, 2014
- Citation
- 1404330
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 1404330.
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 service connection claim for coronary artery disease, chronic heart failure, and mitral regurgitation associated with Camp Lejeune contaminated water exposure is granted. The Board found that the diagnosed conditions originated as a result of his presumed exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune during active duty.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issue of entitlement to service connection for a heart disability, to include heart dysfunction and mitral regurgitation, due to an inadequate VA opinion.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an effective date of October 1, 1993, for the grant of service connection for sleep apnea and April 10, 2006, for the grant of service connection for a lumbar disability. The claim for an earlier effective date prior to January 23, 2019, for the grant of service connection for mitral regurgitation was denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a heart disability, to include hypertensive cardiovascular disease and myocardial ischemia, as the November 2023 VA examination is inadequate.
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