The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability and denied both claims for service connection for the cause of death and entitlement to dependents' educational assistance benefits.
The deciding factor: There is no evidence showing that any condition listed on the death certificate, including lung cancer or cardiovascular disorders, were related to service. The veteran's nicotine dependence was not shown to have begun during service.
- Claimed conditions
- pulmonary infarction, pulmonary emboli, right ventricular dilatation, severe emphysema, small cell lung cancer (in remission), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cachexia, pseudomembranous colitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 23, 2002
- Citation
- 0214885
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 0214885.
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 gastroesophageal reflux disease, obstructive sleep apnea, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease but denied service connection for irritable bowel syndrome. The Board also denied an increased rating for the Veteran's service-connected psychiatric condition.
- Partly granted
The Board granted restoration of the 10 percent evaluation for left knee meniscus, effective April 21, 2025, and an additional 20 percent rating was also granted.
- Granted
The Board granted an increased (Level 2) stipend in the PCAFC for the Veteran's caregiver due to the need for continuous supervision and protection based on the Veteran's medical conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issues for further development and readjudication by the AOJ.
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