The Veteran's cause of death is found to be related to his service-connected coronary artery disease, which was presumed due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam. Service connection for the cause of death is granted.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that the USS Kitty Hawk was within 12 nautical miles of Vietnam during service and thus the Veteran's ischemic heart disease (presumed due to herbicide exposure) contributed substantially or materially to his death.
- Claimed conditions
- Coronary artery disease (ischemic heart disease)
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 3, 2022
- Citation
- 22044291
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 22044291.
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for pacemaker implantation as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease and awarded a 100 percent rating for coronary artery disease, rendering the issue of TDIU moot.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bladder cancer, coronary artery disease (claimed as ischemic heart disease), and diabetes mellitus type II due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service or exposure to herbicide agents.
- Granted
The Board of Veterans' Appeals has granted service connection for PTSD and Mood Disorders, both presumed conditions under the PACT Act.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for diabetes mellitus type II with erectile dysfunction was denied as the evidence did not show that he had been diagnosed and manifested to at least a 10 percent disability rating on or prior to May 8, 2001.
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