The Board has granted service connection for a heart disability, including congenital heart disease. The Veteran's congenital heart disease was diagnosed prior to service and worsened beyond its natural progression during active service due to strenuous physical activity.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the congenital heart disease existed prior to service and was aggravated by in-service strenuous physical activity, leading to a life-threatening dissecting aortic aneurysm.
- Claimed conditions
- Congenital Heart Disease
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 14, 2020
- Citation
- 20054014
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 20054014.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the Veteran does not currently have a diagnosed heart disorder, and thus cannot establish service connection for congenital heart disease or bicuspid aortic valve.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for congenital heart disease due to new and material evidence. However, further development is needed as there are conflicting opinions regarding whether his preexisting condition was aggravated during service.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim to reopen his service connection for congenital heart disease as new and material evidence was not submitted, despite the Veteran having made multiple attempts.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's right shoulder disability and migraines/chronic headaches are remanded for additional development due to insufficient opinions on the etiology of her conditions.
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