The Board granted service-connected burial benefits for the Veteran's death, which was attributed to ischemic cardiomyopathy, a condition presumed to be related to herbicide exposure during service.
The deciding factor: The evidence is in approximate balance as to whether the Veteran's ischemic heart disease (including arteriosclerotic heart disease) contributed substantially or materially to his cause of death, and therefore the benefit-of-the-doubt rule applies.
- Claimed conditions
- Ischemic cardiomyopathy, Arteriosclerotic heart disease
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 7, 2024
- Citation
- A24063946
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.
- Partly granted
The Board denied a rating higher than 60 percent for the Veteran's heart disabilities and granted service connection for major vascular neurocognitive disorder, but denied special monthly compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(l).
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 100 percent disability rating for arteriosclerotic heart disease from April 19, 2021 to September 5, 2024 and denied a higher rating thereafter.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including arteriosclerotic heart disease and PTSD, preclude him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment.
- Granted
The Veteran's arteriosclerotic heart disease was granted a permanent and total 100 percent evaluation from May 4, 2018, but no earlier. Special monthly compensation at the housebound rate was also granted from August 17, 2022, but no earlier.
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