The Veteran's claim for service connection for aortic valve replacement (also claimed as heart disease) has been reopened and is granted. The Board finds new and material evidence to support the reopening of the claim, but further development is needed due to lack of competent medical evidence linking the condition to service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's contentions warrant a reopening of the claim for service connection, but additional VA examination is required to determine if there is a relationship between his current heart condition and his service-connected PTSD or alleged herbicide exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- aortic valve replacement, heart disease
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 26, 2018
- Citation
- 18121689
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 18121689.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and kidney disease are being remanded due to the need for VA examinations to determine if these conditions are related to his exposure to contaminants in the water supply at Camp Lejeune during service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for heart disease, hypertension, kidney disease, and low back pain due to potential errors in duty to assist. The AOJ is required to verify the Veteran's alleged exposure to herbicide agents and obtain private treatment records.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for artery disease, COPD, diabetes, and heart disease due to potential exposure to herbicide agents during his active duty.
- Denied
The Veteran's death was not service-connected, and he did not have the required wartime service for pension benefits.
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