The Board has determined that the Veteran's atherosclerotic heart disease, which is presumed to be related to his in-service POW experience, substantially or materially contributed to cause his death from cardio-respiratory arrest.
The deciding factor: Service connection for the cause of death was granted based on the presumption of service connection due to the Veteran's in-service POW experience and the presumptive relationship between atherosclerotic heart disease and cardiovascular complications.
- Claimed conditions
- Atherosclerotic heart disease, Cardiac arrhythmia
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 28, 2015
- Citation
- 1504080
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 1504080.
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 Board has restored a 60 percent disability rating for ischemic heart disease, coronary artery disease, and atherosclerotic heart disease (IHD) effective September 13, 2023. The decision concludes that the reduction in rating from 60 percent to 30 percent was not proper due to actual improvement in the Veteran's condition under ordinary conditions of life and work.
- Denied
The Veteran's death was not caused by a disability incurred in or aggravated during his military service, and the Board denied entitlement to service connection for the cause of death.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an initial rating of 70 percent for a psychiatric disability but denied service connection for cardiac arrhythmia, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, dermatosis, and sleep apnea.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for cardiac arrhythmia, functional abdominal pain syndrome/abdominal pain and bloating, other than IBS or GERD, and respiratory insufficiency (dyspnea) due to duty to assist errors in the VA examinations.
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.