The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his fatal condition was not caused or substantially contributed to by in-service malaria.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner opined that the Veteran’s in-service malaria did not contribute substantially or materially to his death from coronary disease complicated by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Claimed conditions
- Cardiac Asystole, Coronary Insufficiency, Coronary Arteriosclerosis, Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 8, 2021
- Citation
- 21013000
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 21013000.
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: Denied
The Board denied the claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that the claim was not received prior to August 25, 2023.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the cause of death, finding that the Veteran's PTSD contributed substantially or materially to his coronary arteriosclerosis and subsequent death. The evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether the Veteran's PTSD resulted in alcohol abuse.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's coronary arteriosclerosis and myocardial infarction have been rated at 10 percent since the period prior to November 6, 2018. The Board found that there was no evidence of a higher rating due to cardiac disability during this period.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a VA medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's COPD and/or chronic obstructive lung disease, as well as whether it is related to his bronchitis or other respiratory conditions. The claim will be further evaluated based on this additional evidence.
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