The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for cause of death due to new and material evidence. However, lobar pneumonia was not found to be related to service or a service-connected disability, thus denying dependency and indemnity compensation benefits.
The deciding factor: Lobar pneumonia was not shown to have been caused by a service-connected condition.
- Claimed conditions
- lobar pneumonia
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- May 8, 2001
- Citation
- 0118381
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 0118381.
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 service connection for the cause of death, finding that hypertension was not a significant contributor to the Veteran's heart disease and did not substantially contribute to his cause of death. The cause of death listed on the death certificate was lobar pneumonia, chronic respiratory failure, and severe COPD.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding the Veteran's cause of death and potential service connection.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for a medical opinion to determine whether the Veteran's fatal lobar pneumonia, chronic respiratory failure, and/or severe COPD had its onset in, or is otherwise related to his military service. The opinion should address potential environmental exposures during service and their relation to hypertension.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the cause of the Veteran's death, specifically whether his fatal conditions are related to service.
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