The veteran died in September 2001 and was not service-connected for any disability at the time of his death. His body was not held by a State or subdivision of a State, nor did he die from a service-connected cause while properly hospitalized by VA. Therefore, burial benefits were denied.
The deciding factor: The veteran died without being in receipt of VA pension or compensation and had no pending claim for compensation at the time of his death that would have been allowed under the doctrine of reasonable doubt.
- Claimed conditions
- kidney disorder, stomach problems (including peptic ulcer disease and gastroesophageal reflux disease)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 17, 2004
- Citation
- 0415668
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 0415668.
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 kidney, liver, and pituitary gland disorders to obtain an addendum medical opinion regarding their nature and etiology.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for a kidney disorder, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor. The claim for an eye disorder was remanded for further development.
- Dismissed
The appeal was dismissed due to the Veteran's death while it was pending.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for a kidney disorder to obtain an addendum opinion addressing whether the Veteran's hypertension, which is related to his kidney disorder, is connected to his military service.
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