The Veteran's death was not service-connected, and he did not meet the criteria for SMC based on need for aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: There is no evidence linking the Veteran’s fatal conditions to service or a service-connected disability. The Veteran was not permanently bedridden or in need of regular aid and assistance from another person due to his service-connected disabilities prior to death.
- Claimed conditions
- cardiac dysrhythmia, atriial fibrillation with rapid ventricular response (RVR), congestive heart failure (CHF) class IV, anemia secondary to CHF, hypertensive arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease (HACVD), chronic tubular interstitial nephritis
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 23, 2018
- Citation
- 18152649
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 18152649.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's service connection claims for coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, type II, hypertension (secondary to coronary artery disease), shortness of breath (secondary to coronary artery disease), valvular heart disease (secondary to coronary artery disease), and cardiac dysrhythmia (secondary to coronary artery disease) are all granted due to exposure to herbicide agents during service. The Veteran was exposed to herbicide agents at U-Tapao base in Thailand, which is considered presumptive for ischemic heart disease and diabetes mellitus, type II.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete medical records and a need for further development regarding the Veteran's cause of death.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service-connected burial benefits, finding that his death was not caused by a service-connected disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the cause of death and the need for further development.
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.