The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a cardiovascular disability, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability related to an in-service event or injury.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran's currently diagnosed cardiovascular disorders did not manifest during active military service or within one year of separation and were not related to any in-service illness or injury, including a severe sore throat experienced during service.
- Claimed conditions
- cardiovascular disability, aortic stenosis status post aortic valve replacement, heart murmur, atrial fibrillation, atherosclerotic vascular disease with aortic atherosclerosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 29, 2025
- Citation
- 25007303
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The appeal regarding the Veteran's entitlement to an initial compensable evaluation for atrial fibrillation is remanded due to unclear evidence on whether continuous medication is required for its control.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for chronic kidney disease, atrial fibrillation, hiatal hernia, COPD, and prostate cancer as a result of toxic exposure during the Veteran's military service.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including tension headaches, bilateral plantar fasciitis, and a bilateral hearing loss disability. The Board also denied an initial compensable rating for the Veteran's headache disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for atrial fibrillation to obtain a medical opinion under the PACT Act regarding the possibility of a nexus between the claimed disability and in-service exposure to toxins.
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