The Board has reopened the claim and granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to cardiomyopathy, finding that it is as likely as not that the disability manifested within one year of separation from active service.
The deciding factor: The evidence shows that the Veteran was developing asymptomatic dilated cardiomyopathy in November 1993, which is considered a chronic condition under VA regulations. Given this, and the fact that the cause of death was due to heart disability, the Board found it likely that the disability manifested within one year of separation from active service.
- Claimed conditions
- cardiomyopathy, heart disability
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- July 15, 2014
- Citation
- 1431666
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 1431666.
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 hypertension was granted service connection effective August 10, 2022. The heart disability was granted secondary to the hypertension.,An initial rating of 30% for the heart disability was granted in May 2023 and increased to 60% since October 22, 2024.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a heart disability, finding that it is secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's heart condition, finding that it is secondary to his service-connected PTSD.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for cervical spine disability, heart disability, and rheumatoid arthritis due to procedural errors in obtaining necessary medical opinions.
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