The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bicuspid aortic valve due to his service-connected sleep apnea, finding that there was no causal relationship between the two conditions.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the aortic valve condition was not causally related to the service-connected sleep apnea and concluded it was congenital in nature.
- Claimed conditions
- bicuspid aortic valve, aortic aneurism, deteriorating valve
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 26, 2019
- Citation
- 19122668
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,960 · Granted: 36% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19122668.
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 Board has granted service connection for bicuspid aortic valve and mitral valve prolapse, finding that the Veteran's heart disability was aggravated by military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate opinions regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's heart disability, including coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, and heart murmur. The claim will be further developed with a new VA examination.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for a heart problem, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his current condition and his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart disability, including bicuspid aortic valve and aortic aneurysm, has been remanded due to the submission of new and relevant evidence. The AOJ will now consider this evidence in deciding whether the Veteran's current condition is related to his military service.
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.