The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and the Board found no evidence linking his heart condition to his active duty service or any potential exposure to herbicides while stationed at Korat RTAFB.
The deciding factor: There is no medical evidence showing that the Veteran’s cause of death (CAD) was related to his military service or any incident during service, including exposure to herbicides.
- Claimed conditions
- heart failure, coronary artery disease (CAD), sinusitis, rhinitis, cervical spine degenerative disc disease, lumbar spine arthritis, left foot arthritis, right arm ruptured tendon, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 16, 2019
- Citation
- 19103831
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for tinnitus to correct a duty to assist error, as the Veteran's lay statements regarding onset and continuity of symptoms were not adequately considered in the previous decision.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, cubital tunnel syndrome, right plantar fasciitis, and a right knee disability due to the lack of evidence supporting a nexus between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of April 25, 2022, for the award of service connection for tinnitus and a 100 percent initial rating for PTSD with alcohol use disorder.
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