The Board denied the claim that the veteran's service-connected conditions contributed to his death. The cause of death was found to be a ruptured dissecting aortic aneurysm and cardiac tamponade, which were not related to any service-connected condition.
The deciding factor: There is no causal association between the veteran's service-connected conditions and the cause of death.
- Claimed conditions
- paranoid type schizophrenic reaction, history of a duodenal ulcer, cellulitis of the right foot
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 29, 2004
- Citation
- 0420630
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 0420630.
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 disabilities, including fibromyalgia, diabetes mellitus, and a paranoid type schizophrenic reaction, have resulted in permanent loss of use of both feet. The Board has established eligibility for financial assistance to purchase an automobile and adaptive equipment.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for an initial compensable disability rating for cellulitis of the right foot and tinea pedis is dismissed. The Board grants service connection for esophageal disorder secondary to his service-connected helicobacter pylori infection, but remands for further examination regarding intermittent memory loss, liver disorder (claimed as fatty liver), and neurological symptoms (claimed as bilateral hand numbness).
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his ulcer and lung disabilities did not contribute to his death. The causes of death were attributed to aspiration pneumonia, dysphagia, and dementia.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected conditions contributed to his death. The appellant needs a VA medical opinion on this issue.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
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.