Question:
I am the spouse of a deceased Vietnam vet. At the time of his death he had a disability rating of somewhere between 70 -80%. After his death in 2009, I applied for DIC and it was denied. He had confirmed PTSD and had developed AFib. He died from a stroke caused by the AFib. AFib was listed as secondary cause of death. VA denied my claim because AFib was not considered service connected at that time. Since then many more studies have connected PTSD and AFib. And I have spoken to a few vets who are receiving benefits for their AFib, or spouses who have shown AFib to be connected to service related condition. I’d like to submit a claim now and wonder if you are aware of more cases where AFib caused by PTSD is being considered as cause of death and benefits are being approved.
Jim's Reply:
No, I'm not aware of cases of atrial fibrillation that are secondary to PTSD and listed as the cause of death. You're able to research BVA decisions by clicking here https://www.index.va.gov/search/va/bva.jsp and entering the years and the key words you'd like to search. These are all cases where a denial has been issued and appeals are taking place.
You can also seek a no-cost consultation with an accredited veterans law attorney here https://www.vawatchdog.org/how-to-hire-a-veterans-law-attorney.html Any of the lawyers you'll meet there are happy to evaluate your case.
To link A-Fib and PTSD together is likely to require an opinion from an expert disability physician. You can seek an Independent Medical Opinion here https://www.vawatchdog.org/imo-ime-medical-opinions-exams.html
Good luck.