The Veteran's death was caused by sudden cardiac arrest due to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, but service connection for the cause of death is denied as there is no evidence that his heart condition began during or was aggravated by any period of active service.
The deciding factor: There is no credible medical evidence showing that the Veteran’s diagnosed heart disease began during, or increased in severity during any period of his active service.
- Claimed conditions
- Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, Pectus excavatum
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 17, 2019
- Citation
- 19194735
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 19194735.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter of entitlement to service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to a lack of sufficient evidence addressing all contentions.
- Dismissed
The appeals for service connection for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, carotid disease, chronic kidney disease, COPD, and type 2 diabetes mellitus are dismissed as moot.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the claims for a rating in excess of 30 percent for migraine headaches, including migraine variants, and for service connection for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease to afford the Veteran a VA examination.
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.