The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death. The RO must now consider whether the presumption of soundness or aggravation applies to the veteran's syphilis.
The deciding factor: New and material evidence was found in the form of medical opinions supporting a link between the veteran's pre-existing latent syphilis and his death, which may be considered under the presumptions of soundness and aggravation.
- Claimed conditions
- syphilis
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 5, 2000
- Citation
- 0031664
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 0031664.
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
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings, finding that the evidence did not support a compensable disability rating or service connection for any of the claimed conditions.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for various claimed conditions, including abnormal weight loss, a bowel condition, psychiatric disorders, foot pain, hemorrhoids, sinusitis, syphilis, and tinnitus due to the lack of evidence showing current disabilities or functional impairment.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board granted service connection for acute urethritis due to neisseria gonorrhea, syphilis, a deviated septum, an anxiety disorder (acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD), and a traumatic deviated septum.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for hypogonadism or low testosterone and ED, but denied service connection for syphilis. Several conditions were remanded for further development.
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