The veteran's death was not caused by VA medical treatment, and the Board found that there is no causal relationship between his use of Methotrexate and his underlying hematological disorder.
The deciding factor: Multiple opinions indicated that the veteran's use of Methotrexate had bone marrow myelodepressive effects but did not cause his underlying hematological disorder.
- Claimed conditions
- Myelodysplastic syndrome, Neutropenia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 6, 2003
- Citation
- 0319229
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 0319229.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the Veteran's cause of death, as there was no evidence to support a finding that the Veteran's death was related to his active service or any in-service injury or disease.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board denied the appellant's claim for entitlement to nonservice-connected (NSC) survivor's pension benefits due to a lack of active service during a period of war. The case was remanded to further investigate potential toxic exposure and obtain additional medical evidence regarding the Veteran's cause of death.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical opinion to determine if the Veteran's death was attributable to VA care, specifically an incompatible blood transfusion.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for further development and to ensure a complete record is available for decision.
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.