The Veteran's death was caused by atherosclerotic and hypertensive cardiovascular disease, which is not service-connected as there is no evidence of in-service exposure to herbicides or other conditions that could have contributed to his death. The Board finds that the cause of death does not meet the criteria for service connection.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's hypertension was not diagnosed during service and there is no evidence of in-service exposure to Agent Orange or other conditions that could have caused his death.
- Claimed conditions
- atherosclerotic and hypertensive cardiovascular disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- February 8, 2016
- Citation
- 1604544
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1604544.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his atherosclerotic and hypertensive cardiovascular disease was caused by his service-connected disabilities.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, as there was no evidence that a disability incurred in or aggravated by service caused or contributed substantially to his death.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's death was not related to service-connected conditions, and the claim for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 is denied.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's death was not caused or contributed to by service-connected disabilities, and therefore his cause of death is denied.
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.