The veteran's death was not caused by his service-connected disabilities, and he should have received a total rating due to unemployability for a period of 10 or more years immediately preceding his death.
The deciding factor: VA medical opinions determined that the veteran's cardiovascular disorder and liver fibrosis were unlikely related to his PTSD, medication used to treat PTSD, or alcoholism associated with PTSD.
- Claimed conditions
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Corneal scar with defective vision, left eye, Tinea of the feet and crotch, funiculitis and postoperative skin grafts for hidradenitis suppurativa, Residuals of a shell fragment wound to the rib cage
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 4, 2003
- Citation
- 0318907
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 0318907.
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 Veteran's PTSD was granted a 70 percent rating prior to March 7, 2022, while other claims were denied.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD and GAD, as well as tinnitus.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disability, to include PTSD, as it needs a medical opinion addressing the nature and etiology of the condition prior to October 16, 2023.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities.
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