The Board denied the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of her husband's death, finding that there was no evidence linking his heart failure, interstitial pneumonitis, and pancytopenia to his military service.
The deciding factor: There is no medical evidence showing a relationship between the veteran's service and his cause of death.
- Claimed conditions
- intractable heart failure, interstitial pneumonitis, pancytopenia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- July 30, 2002
- Citation
- 0208687
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 0208687.
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: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient information regarding the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents and other environmental hazards during service, as well as a need for a toxic exposure risk activity (TERA) memorandum and opinion.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for an initial compensable disability rating for pancytopenia and radiation induced anemia due to a need for further examination.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an earlier effective date for the 100 percent rating for lung cancer to include asbestosis, interstitial pneumonitis, and emphysema due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's current diagnosis of pancytopenia, including myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), is due to his exposure to herbicide agents in service. The Board granted service connection for the Veteran's pancytopenia based on this exposure.
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