The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart condition, to include tricuspid valvular disorder and vasovagal syncope, as there was no evidence of an in-service incurrence or aggravation of the disability.
The deciding factor: The May 2023 VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's heart condition is less likely than not related to her service, including exposure to burn pits, due to a partially explained etiology and lack of clear evidence linking the condition to in-service events.
- Claimed conditions
- Heart condition
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 12, 2025
- Citation
- A25022803
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.
- Dismissed
The appeal is dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a heart condition to provide a new VA examination and obtain medical opinions addressing whether the Veteran's diagnosed heart conditions are related to service or caused or aggravated by one or more service-connected disabilities, including hypertension.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for a heart condition, adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, chronic, residuals of frostbite to the right and left lower extremities, and a right foot condition due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including heart condition, lung condition, peripheral neuropathy of both upper and lower extremities, bilateral plantar fasciitis with bone spurs, left kidney cyst, cirrhosis of the liver and hepatitis C, migraine, and chronic allergic rhinitis.
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