The veteran died from a pulmonary embolism caused by a vena cava thrombosis. The cause of death was not related to VA medical treatment, and the Board found no causality between any service-connected condition and his death.
The deciding factor: The autopsy report did not indicate that the veteran's removal of the nasogastric tube contributed to his pneumonia or death. Dr. M.D.S. concluded that the veteran had esophagitis and gastro-esophageal reflux, which likely led to pneumonia from which he died.
- Claimed conditions
- Bronchopneumonia, Cerebral Infarction, Hemorrhagic Cerebral Infarction, Pulmonary Embolism, Balanitis, Severe Bronchogenic Carcinoma
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 31, 2001
- Citation
- 0115113
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 0115113.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for balanitis as secondary to diabetes mellitus, type 2 and denied increased ratings for diabetes mellitus, type 2, bilateral lower extremity diabetic neuropathy, coronary artery disease, and an earlier effective date for special monthly compensation.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for the Veteran's cause of death and entitlement to Dependency and Indemnity Compensation under 38 USC § 1151 due to inadequate medical opinions.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including diabetes and stroke-related disabilities, have prevented him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment from July 1, 2019, to February 16, 2022.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board dismissed the Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for pulmonary embolism, but the Veteran has since expressed that she did not intend to withdraw her claim. The case is being remanded due to a lack of clarity in the medical opinion provided.
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