The Board finds that the veteran's service-connected residuals of a lumbar laminectomy, with chronic lumbar strain and disc space narrowing due to a compression fracture, substantially or materially contributed to his death from liver failure.
The deciding factor: The veteran's longstanding back disorder was a contributing factor to his disability and eventual death.
- Claimed conditions
- liver failure, myeloproliferative disorder, partial hypertension, heart failure
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- May 24, 2001
- Citation
- 0114538
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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0114538.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the appellant's claim for entitlement to service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, as the evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran's heart condition, liver condition, or hepatitis C began during active service or were otherwise related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.
- Dismissed
The Veteran has withdrawn the appeal for service connection for heart failure, sleep apnea, and erectile dysfunction.
- Dismissed
The appeal is dismissed as the Veteran did not express disagreement with any issue decided by the AOJ within the prior year.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his service-connected disabilities were contributory causes.
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