The Board granted the reopening of the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death, finding that new and material evidence had been received. The primary cause of the Veteran’s death was atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, which is listed among the diseases warranting presumptive service connection due to exposure to herbicide agents.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the appellant provided competent and credible evidence showing the Veteran's exposure to herbicides while serving in Thailand, meeting the criteria for establishing service connection for the cause of death.
- Claimed conditions
- atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 29, 2018
- Citation
- 18129763
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 18129763.
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 Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the cause of death and its relation to service. The Veteran's atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and colon cancer are being evaluated for their relationship to toxic exposure during service.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for myocardial infarction, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, and coronary artery disease was dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of his claim.
- Granted
The Veteran's atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease was granted an initial 60 percent disability rating from February 23, 2023 to February 19, 2024. The appeal is denied for ratings in excess of 60 percent and entitlement to TDIU and SMC.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's TDIU claim for the period from February 27, 2020 is dismissed as moot because he has a combined 100% disability rating and does not meet the criteria for Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) due to being permanently housebound.
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