The Veteran's death was caused by his service-connected exposure to Agent Orange, which contributed to the development of hypertensive cardiovascular disease. The Board found that the evidence is in equipoise and granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner initially determined that the Veteran’s death was less likely than not due to herbicide exposure, but a subsequent private medical report from a board-certified cardiologist concluded that Agent Orange exposure contributed to the development of hypertension, which led to the Veteran's death. The Board found this evidence in equipoise and granted service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- Hypertensive cardiovascular disease
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- August 13, 2020
- Citation
- 20053803
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 20053803.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
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: Denied
The Board denied the claim for service connection for cause of death, finding that there is no evidence to support a causal relationship between the Veteran's military service and his death from gastrointestinal bleeding and hypertensive cardiovascular disease.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his opioid use disorder was related to his service-connected disabilities and led to his untimely death.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for cause of death, finding that there was not sufficient evidence to link his death to his military service or any presumptive conditions related to burn pit exposure. The Board also found no evidence linking his hypertension and cardiovascular disease to his military service.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient reasoning and lack of a medical opinion regarding the cause of death. The Veteran's cause of death was listed as cardiorespiratory arrest due to liver cancer, COPD, and ethanolism. A medical opinion is needed to determine if these conditions are related to his military service.
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