The Board denied the appellant's claims for increased ratings and special monthly compensation based on need of regular aid and attendance or on account of being housebound, as well as DIC under the provisions of 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 due to lack of evidence showing that the veteran's death was caused by his service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Board found no evidence linking the cause of the veteran's death (cardiorespiratory arrest with antecedent cerebrovascular accident) to his service-connected left thigh disability and sciatic nerve injury, or indicating that these conditions materially contributed to his death.
- Claimed conditions
- residual shrapnel wound, left thigh, injury to Muscle Group (MG) XIII, fracture of the femur, infected scar, sciatic nerve injury
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- March 30, 2000
- Citation
- 0008541
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0008541.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the claims for service connection for neck and cervical spine injury with fusion, right shoulder strain, and sciatic nerve injury as new and relevant evidence was not submitted since the previous denial.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since October 26, 2015.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and inadequate medical opinions. The AOJ is required to obtain relevant medical records from military hospitals in Germany, as well as VA treatment records. A new VA opinion is needed to address the Veteran's lay statements regarding post-service treatment and symptoms.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for a left knee disorder and sciatic nerve injury, finding that there is no current disability to support these claims.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.