The Veteran's service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is found to have caused or contributed substantially to the cause of death, which was atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. The Board finds that the evidence is in at least approximate balance and grants entitlement to service connection for the Veteran's cause of death.
The deciding factor: The medical opinions provided by private physicians indicate that PTSD caused or contributed to the development of cardiovascular conditions resulting in the Veteran's death, which aligns with the cause of death listed on his death certificate.
- Claimed conditions
- atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, nonischemic cardiomyopathy, hyperlipidemia, hypertension
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 9, 2026
- Citation
- A26020673
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation A26020673.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to conflicting opinions regarding service connection for peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, and skin disabilities related to herbicide exposure.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension and increased rating for anxiety disorder have been denied. The Board found that there is no evidence of a current disability meeting the criteria for hypertension, and the Veteran's anxiety disorder does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
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