The Veteran's additional heart disability, including complete heart block and need for a permanent pacemaker, was caused by VA's carelessness in the tricuspid valve replacement surgery. The Board found that this constituted a qualifying disability under 38 U.S.C. § 1151.
The deciding factor: VA's failure to exercise due care during the tricuspid valve replacement surgery proximately caused the Veteran's additional heart disability, including complete heart block and need for a permanent pacemaker.
- Claimed conditions
- Complete Heart Block, Need for a Permanent Pacemaker
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 20, 2018
- Citation
- 18127891
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 18127891.
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
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