The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected mood disorder did not cause his death, as there was no evidence of consistent noncompliance with treatment and other factors such as dementia were noted to be contributing causes.
The deciding factor: The medical opinions provided by VA indicated that the Veteran's service-connected mood disorder did not prevent him from complying with treatment for congestive heart failure and did not substantially contribute to his death.
- Claimed conditions
- Congestive heart failure, Arteriosclerotic heart disease, Diabetes mellitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- April 8, 2014
- Citation
- 1415393
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 1415393.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
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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.
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The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of ambulance travel expenses incurred on June 17, 2025 due to an emergency heart attack. The ambulance service was provided by a volunteer organization and later intercepted by a higher-tier EMT company.
- 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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