The Veteran's heart condition, including atrial flutter, atrial fibrillation, bradycardia, and non-ischemic conditions, was aggravated during his active service in Iraq. The Board granted service connection for this condition.,The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is also a result of his cardiac disability, which he developed during service.
The deciding factor: The preexisting heart condition worsened due to the stress and toxins encountered during military service, leading to aggravation. The Board found that the increase in severity was not due to natural progression but rather due to active service.,The Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea is aggravated by his cardiac disability, which he developed during service.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, right ear hearing loss, scars of the forehead and scalp, heart condition to include atrial flutter, atrial fibrillation, bradycardia, non-ischemic, obstructive sleep apnea, right thigh scar secondary to heart condition, left chest scar secondary to pacemaker implantation
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 18, 2019
- Citation
- 19186553
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,156 · Granted: 29% (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 19186553.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that there is no competent evidence to support a finding that his current condition began in or as a result of service.
- Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The issues of foot disability and cardiovascular disorder are remanded for additional development.
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.