The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his coronary artery disease (CAD) was not a principal or contributory cause of his death. The evidence did not establish a diagnosis of CAD prior to his death.
The deciding factor: The preponderance of the evidence established that the Veteran did not have a diagnosis of CAD or IHD prior to his death, and therefore it could not be determined as the principal or contributory cause of his death.
- Claimed conditions
- CAD (Coronary Artery Disease)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- January 16, 2020
- Citation
- 20004152
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,886 · Granted: 24% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 20004152.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's CAD warrants a 60 percent rating, but the Board has determined that an earlier effective date is warranted due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding direct service connection.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of 100 percent for CAD was granted effective November 28, 2023. The effective date is based on the date of a VA examination showing the increase in disability.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for CAD and remanded the issue of service connection for granulomatous disease.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's claim for a separate rating of 10 percent for implantation of cardiac pacemaker due to third degree atrioventricular block is granted. The minimum 10 percent rating is assigned under DC 7018, as the Veteran does not experience supraventricular arrhythmias or ventricular arrhythmias related to his service-connected heart disability and the symptomatology is already contemplated by the rating for CAD.
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