The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for the cause of his death, finding that there was no evidence linking his hypertensive heart disease to his military service or presumed exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam.
The deciding factor: The VA medical opinion found very little to disprove the essential nature of the Veteran’s hypertension and concluded that it is less likely than not related to his military service, including any presumed exposure to herbicide agents. The opinion also noted a lack of evidence for ischemic heart disease.
- Claimed conditions
- hypertensive heart disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 23, 2019
- Citation
- 19195891
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 19195891.
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 claim for a heart condition to obtain an addendum opinion from a VA clinician regarding whether the Veteran's current heart condition is related to service, including in-service treatment for hypertension.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple conditions, including a bilateral eye disability and cardiovascular conditions, based on the Veteran's in-service occupational exposures.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death and accrued benefits due to pending asbestos exposure development.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an initial evaluation of 30 percent for the period from September 20, 2022 to June 13, 2023 and a 60 percent evaluation from October 1, 2023, but denied an earlier effective date prior to September 20, 2022.
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.