The Board denied service connection for a cardiac disorder, to include residuals of a heart attack and open-heart surgery, finding that the Veteran's cardiac disorders were less likely than not related to service, other than the use of tobacco products.
The deciding factor: The June 2023 VA examination found that smoking was the most significant risk factor in the development of heart disease, and the Veteran had an extensive 20-year or more smoking history.
- Claimed conditions
- Cardiac disorder, to include residuals of a heart attack and open-heart surgery
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 31, 2024
- Citation
- 24004767
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
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 a cardiac disorder as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected asthma and COPD.
- Denied
The veteran's claims for service connection for a cardiac disorder, bilateral knee disorder including arthritis, right shoulder disorder, and upper back disorder were denied as there was no competent evidence of record showing the veteran currently suffers from these conditions.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
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