The Veteran's service connection claim for constrictive pericarditis is granted due to presumed exposure to ionizing radiation during his service at Thule Air Force Base and Johnson Atoll.
The deciding factor: Radiation exposure from the B-52 bomber crash caused by nuclear weapons led to radioactive contamination in the vicinity of Thule Air Force Base, Greenland. The Veteran's pericarditis is related to this exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- constrictive pericarditis
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 17, 2023
- Citation
- 23045864
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 23045864.
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 has determined that the Veteran's constrictive pericarditis is etiologically related to his service, including exposure to asbestos while serving on the U.S.S. Spartanburg County.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to constrictive pericarditis, which was found to be related to his untreated tuberculosis during service.
- Denied
The Board found that the veteran's constrictive pericarditis is not well grounded as a claim for service connection, and denied his increased rating for PTSD. The current ratings of 50 percent are maintained.
- Granted
The Board of Veterans' Appeals has granted service connection for PTSD and Mood Disorders, both presumed conditions under the PACT Act.
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