The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his congenital aortic bicuspid valve was not the primary or contributory cause of his death and that his cardiovascular diseases were more likely caused by other factors.
The deciding factor: VA medical opinions determined that the Veteran's congenital aortic bicuspid valve was not the primary or contributory cause of his death, and his cardiovascular diseases (including coronary and carotid artery disease, pulmonary embolism) were not related to his active duty service or pre-existing conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Congenital Aortic Bicuspid Valve, Cardiovascular Diseases (including coronary and carotid artery disease, pulmonary embolism), Parkinson's Disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 7, 2022
- Citation
- 22056841
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 22056841.
What this means for you
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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 and a need for further examination. The Veteran's claim is related to his exposure at Camp Lejeune, but there are questions about whether he currently has Parkinson's Disease or Parkinsonism.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected Parkinson's Disease, but denied it based on direct causation.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted SMC at the (o) rate based on his service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and other conditions. He also meets the criteria for SMC at the (r)(1) level due to need for regular aid and attendance.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.
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