The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for rheumatic fever and heart disease, finding that there was no clear and unmistakable evidence of aggravation during service and that the disability did not manifest in service or within one year of separation. The Board also found that the Veteran's heart disease is not related to his service-connected rheumatic fever.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that there was no clear and unmistakable evidence of aggravation of rheumatic fever during service, and that the pre-existing condition did not increase in severity beyond its natural progression. Additionally, the Board found that the Veteran's heart disease is not related to his service-connected rheumatic fever.
- Claimed conditions
- rheumatic fever, heart disease (to include valvular heart disease, heart failure, cardiomyopathy)
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 20, 2019
- Citation
- 19164482
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,480 · Granted: 26% (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 19164482.
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.
- Partly granted
The veteran's claims for service connection for several conditions, including low back disability and diabetes mellitus, type II, were granted. The claim for rheumatic fever was remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the appeal for further development due to new evidence added since the April 2024 supplemental statement of the case and consideration of both the former and revised versions of the rating criteria.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for several issues including earlier effective dates and increased disability ratings for heart conditions, as well as a total disability rating based on individual unemployability. The Veteran's private treatment records are missing and need to be obtained.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hand and left ankle conditions, which may be related to rheumatic fever. The case is being remanded for further evaluation.
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.