The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that pneumonia was not incurred or aggravated during active service and did not result from a service-connected disability. The Board also found that the service-connected schizophrenia did not contribute to the veteran's death.
The deciding factor: Pneumonia was first shown years after separation from active service and is not considered to be related to any service-connected condition, including schizophrenia.
- Claimed conditions
- Pneumonia, Schizophrenia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- April 17, 2002
- Citation
- 0203505
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 0203505.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
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: Granted
The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically schizophrenia, is rated at 70 percent disabling. The appeal for a TDIU has been granted.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for schizophrenia was reopened and granted effective June 14, 1989. SMC based on the need for aid and attendance is also granted as of that date.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's request to readjudicate his claims for service connection for PTSD (claimed as schizophrenia), headaches, and schizophrenia. The claim for memory loss and residuals of head injury remains denied due to lack of new and relevant evidence.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that none of the listed causes were related to his military service and no service-connected disability contributed to his death.
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