The Board denied service connection for arteriosclerotic heart disease and residuals of transient ischemic heart attacks, finding that the evidence did not support a relationship to service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner opined that the Veteran's current heart disabilities were less likely than not incurred in or caused by his period of service, attributing them instead to smoking tobacco for more than 50 years.
- Claimed conditions
- arteriosclerotic heart disease, residuals of transient ischemic heart attacks
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- January 3, 2023
- Citation
- 23000239
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 3,319 · Granted: 25% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 23000239.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for an allowance for an automobile or other conveyance and adaptive equipment, as he does not have physical loss of use of hands or feet, permanent impairment of vision in both eyes, severe burn injury, ALS, or ankylosis of knees or hips.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's service-connected arteriosclerotic heart disease is rated at 60% and has rendered him unemployable from February 17, 2023 to July 24, 2023. The Board also granted a special monthly compensation based on the housebound criteria.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's eczema is rated at a 60 percent rating from March 31, 2014.,A 60 percent rating for arteriosclerotic heart disease has been granted. The effective date of the award is August 10, 2022.,TDIU benefits are granted starting from August 10, 2022.,Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits have an effective date of August 10, 2022.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to errors in providing notice of a hearing and for reopening the claim.
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