The Board has granted service connection for cardiomyopathy secondary to herbicide exposure and for the cause of the Veteran's death. The decision finds that the evidence is in relative equipoise, with Dr. T.L.R.'s opinion indicating it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran’s heart condition is related to his Agent Orange exposure.
The deciding factor: The Board found the evidence in relative equipoise regarding whether the Veteran's cardiomyopathy was related to herbicide exposure and granted service connection for this condition. The cause of death, listed as ischemic cardiomyopathy on the death certificate, is also considered a service-connected disability due to the grant of service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- cardiomyopathy
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 30, 2019
- Citation
- 19133305
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.
- Partly granted
The appeal was granted for the severance of service connection for hypertension and entitlement to service connection for a heart disability (claimed as cardiomyopathy) associated with hypertension. The claim for an initial compensable rating for hypertension was remanded.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral cataracts, dry eye syndrome, allergic conjunctivitis, valvular heart disease, cardiomyopathy, and atrial fibrillation as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred in or caused by an in-service event.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for the cause of death, determining that it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's fatal conditions were caused by his military service.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of August 6, 2021 for service connection for heart disease based on the Veteran's exposure to chemicals in service.
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