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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0114538.
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
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's claims for diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery disease, and heart failure have been granted on a presumptive basis due to exposure to herbicide agents during service. The claim for glaucoma has been denied as not related to service-connected conditions or in-service herbicide agent exposure.,Service connection for heart failure is granted secondary to service-connected coronary artery disease.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection for myeloproliferative disorder and thrombocytopenia, related to in-service radiation exposure during Operation Tomodachi, are being remanded due to the need for a VA examination. The issues of entitlement to a temporary total disability rating due to hospitalization or treatment for a service-connected condition requiring convalescence are also being remanded as they are inextricably intertwined with the service connection claims.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal seeking an effective date prior to January 23, 2014, for the assignment of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is dismissed due to his death.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection of hypertension, migraines, and myeloproliferative disorder are being remanded due to a duty to assist error in obtaining private treatment records. The Board will consider the evidence again after acquiring these records.
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