The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death, which included acute myocardial infarction due to extensive ischemic heart disease and end-stage renal disease, is related to service exposure. The Board found reasonable doubt in favor of the appellant regarding the Veteran's exposure to dioxins and lead during service, leading to a finding of service connection for the cause of death.
The deciding factor: The Board resolved reasonable doubt in favor of the appellant regarding the Veteran's exposure to environmental exposures during service, which contributed to his cause of death.
- Claimed conditions
- Acute myocardial infarction, Extensive ischemic heart disease, Adult-onset diabetes mellitus, End-stage renal disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 15, 2022
- Citation
- 22052599
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 22052599.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for DIC, nonservice-connected survivor's pension benefits, and accrued benefits due to incomplete development regarding the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents during his active service at Fort Hood.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran died due to an acute myocardial infarction. The Board has identified errors in the toxic exposure documentation and requests a remand for further investigation and medical opinion regarding the cause of death.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found that the Veteran's death was caused by an intraabdominal hemorrhage, acute myocardial infarction, and acute renal failure. The appeal is remanded to obtain a medical opinion on whether these conditions are related to in-service exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for acute myocardial infarction has been dismissed as the January 2026 VA Form 10182, which appealed the October 2025 rating decision, was received concurrently with a supplemental claim (VA Form 20-0995).
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