The Board denied entitlement to service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that hypertension and related conditions did not manifest in service or were otherwise not causally related to his military service.
The deciding factor: There was no evidence showing a diagnosis of hypertension during service, within one year after service, or otherwise causally related to the Veteran's military service. The VA examiner found that the Veteran's cause of death (probable massive cardiac event) was less likely as not caused by his military service.
- Claimed conditions
- Atrial fibrillation, Chronic renal failure, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Chronic systolic heart failure
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 16, 2022
- Citation
- 22035266
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 22035266.
What this means for you
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The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death (acute respiratory failure, atrial fibrillation, and/or hypertension) is related to his active duty service, including from exposure to toxins and chemicals from open burn pits during the harsh winters in Korea. The Board finds a pre-decisional duty to assist error and remands for obtaining a VA medical opinion.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's death was caused by cardiopulmonary arrest, with congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and coronary artery disease presence of stent as the underlying cause. The Board has determined that there is a need for additional medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's hypertension, which he had during service, contributed to his death.
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