The veteran died of right ventricular failure due to or as a consequence of cor pulmonale, COPD, and arteriosclerosis. The cause of death was not service-connected, nor did the veteran have a permanent total service-connected disability at the time of his death. Therefore, the claim for service connection for cause of death is denied, and the eligibility for Dependent's Educational Assistance (DEA) is also denied.
The deciding factor: The immediate cause of death was right ventricular failure due to or as a consequence of cor pulmonale, COPD, and arteriosclerosis. The veteran did not have a service-connected disability that caused his death, nor did he have a permanent total service-connected disability at the time of his death.
- Claimed conditions
- right ventricular failure, cor pulmonale, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), arteriosclerosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 5, 2002
- Citation
- 0211412
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 0211412.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Remanded (sent back)
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- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions, including GERD, chronic kidney disease, COPD, a heart condition, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, insomnia, and obstructive sleep apnea, as additional development is necessary to address the Veteran's exposure to toxic chemical agents during his service.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for coronary artery disease (CAD) and remanded the claim for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
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