The Board denied the claim for service connection for cause of death, finding that the Veteran's cardiovascular disease and Parkinson's disease were not related to his active duty service.
The deciding factor: A competent medical opinion indicated that the Veteran's heart disability was a congenital disease, which is not considered an acquired condition. The Board found insufficient evidence to establish that the Veteran's death was caused or aggravated by service.
- Claimed conditions
- Cardiovascular Disease, Parkinson's Disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 12, 2019
- Citation
- 19128789
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus and Parkinson's disease as there was no evidence of in-service incurrence or a nexus to service, including herbicide exposure.
- Partly granted
The Board denied a 100 percent rating for the Veteran's mental health disability prior to July 9, 2025 and remanded several issues related to service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, specifically regarding TERA development and VA examinations.
- Partly granted
The Board denied an evaluation in excess of 70 percent for PTSD and granted service connection for Parkinson's disease, but remanded the claim for a total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU).
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