The Board denied service connection for a heart disorder as there was no evidence of herbicide exposure during service and the Veteran did not have a current disability related to his military service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service in Thailand did not meet the criteria for presumed exposure to herbicides, and there is insufficient evidence to establish actual exposure. The preponderance of the evidence does not show a heart disorder onset during or within one year after service.
- Claimed conditions
- Heart Disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 3, 2019
- Citation
- 19190336
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 19190336.
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 Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities. The claims for a heart disorder and prostate cancer were remanded.
- Partly granted
The Board denied an initial compensable rating for COPD and remanded the claims for service connection for a heart disorder and chronic kidney disease.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's application to reopen the claim of service connection for diabetes was granted, while other issues related to heart disorder, prostate cancer, and gallbladder removal were remanded.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a heart disorder claimed as due to exposure to toxins at Fort McClellan, Alabama. The examiner concluded that the Veteran's heart disorder was less likely than not incurred in or caused by her military service.
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