WingmanOpen the free toolsWingmanOpen the free toolsIf the VA already service-connected your atrial fibrillation (also called afib, a-fib, a fib, atrial fibrillation), it can cause or worsen other conditions that are ratable on their own. These "secondary" claims are where many veterans leave money on the table. Below is what a service-connected atrial fibrillation commonly leads to, why, and what evidence each one takes.
A secondary claim only works if the primary condition (atrial fibrillation) is already service-connected, and you have a nexus — a doctor's opinion that it is "at least as likely as not" the cause. More on nexus letters →
Recurrent palpitations, ER visits and the fear of an episode are a common and well-documented driver of secondary anxiety.
What you'd need: A mental-health diagnosis plus a nexus opinion connecting it to the cardiac condition and its treatment.
Sleep apnea and atrial fibrillation are recognized as closely associated, and each is understood to aggravate the other. Which direction applies to you matters, so have the opinion say so explicitly.
What you'd need: A sleep study confirming apnea, plus a nexus opinion stating whether the apnea caused or was aggravated by the AFib, or the reverse.