The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for cardiovascular disabilities, including hypertension and coronary artery disease, attributing them to his family genetics, lifestyle, smoking history, and lipid disorder. The claim for obstructive sleep apnea is granted.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners determined that the Veteran's cardiovascular conditions were not related to in-service exposures or service due to lack of evidence supporting such a connection.
- Claimed conditions
- Cardiovascular Disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 22, 2021
- Citation
- 21064941
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 21064941.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, a neurological disability (claimed as Parkinson's disease), and a cardiovascular disability due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service or exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found that there has not been substantial compliance with the previous remand instructions and additional remand is required for further development of the Veteran's claims for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's skin cancer and cardiovascular disability are remanded for further examination to determine if they are related to his service, including exposure to herbicide agents.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.