The Board has dismissed the claims for service connection for ischemic heart disease, increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and PTSD, to reopen a previously denied claim of entitlement to service connection for a low back condition, as well as the claims for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity and left lower extremity. The Veteran's death was caused by his neurological condition, which is presumed to have been related to herbicide exposure in Vietnam.,The Board has also granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.
The deciding factor: The appellant withdrew all claims except for the claims for service connection for a neurological condition and for the Veteran's cause of death. The preponderance of evidence supports that the Veteran's FTD-ALS complex was caused by his exposure to herbicide agents, which is presumed in Vietnam veterans.,The Veteran's death certificate listed frontal lobe degeneration and Parkinson-like progressive motor degeneration as the cause of death. The March 2021 private medical opinion concluded that the Veteran's FTD-ALS complex was the immediate cause of his death.
- Claimed conditions
- ischemic heart disease, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), low back condition, neurological condition, to include FTD-ALS complex
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 26, 2021
- Citation
- 21032237
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 21032237.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder and PTSD. The Veteran will be asked to provide additional medical records and undergo a VA examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart condition, including ischemic heart disease. The evidence did not support a finding of a current disability related to service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his alleged stressors.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD.
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