The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by or related to his service-connected disabilities, and thus denied service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence did not show that the veteran's overdose on prescribed medication, although the cause of his death, was caused by a service-connected disability.
- Claimed conditions
- vascular headaches, residuals, right shoulder surgery for recurrent dislocations with mild degenerative changes
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 21, 2002
- Citation
- 0216851
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 0216851.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected coronary artery disease, vascular headaches, and cerebrovascular accident with left eye vision problem rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment from April 1, 2015 to May 28, 2018.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for prostate cancer and residuals, finding that there was no evidence to support a causal relationship between his in-service prostatitis and his later diagnosis of prostate cancer.
- Partly granted
The Board denied a rating in excess of 50 percent for vascular headaches and granted restoration of the cervical spine, left upper extremity radiculopathy, and lumbar spine disability ratings.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for kidney cancer and residuals as the evidence did not support a causal relationship between the Veteran's in-service toxic risk exposure and his current condition.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.