The Board determined that the veteran's service-connected conditions did not cause his death or contribute substantially to it.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner concluded that the veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his shell fragment wounds and amputations, did not directly cause his multiorgan failure, sepsis, bilateral bronchopneumonia, and myocardial infarction resulting in death.
- Claimed conditions
- Multiorgan failure, Sepsis, Bilateral bronchopneumonia, Acute inferior wall myocardial infarction
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 20, 2003
- Citation
- 0328197
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 0328197.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for the Veteran's cause of death and entitlement to Dependency and Indemnity Compensation under 38 USC § 1151 due to inadequate medical opinions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection of the Veteran's cause of death, to include sepsis, MSSA bacteremia, and immunosuppression, due to in-service exposure to Agent Orange.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, agreeing that his military service was a contributing factor in his death.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's death was not service connected due to lack of evidence linking his conditions to his military service. However, the PACT Act now allows for consideration of exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune as a basis for service connection.
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.