The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for cause of death and eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as well as his claim for burial benefits.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence did not show that any underlying conditions contributing to the veteran's death were initially manifested during his military service or even for decades after it ended; nor was there a link between any service-connected disability and the cause of death.
- Claimed conditions
- arrhythmia, lymphoma, fungal sinusitis
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 8, 2004
- Citation
- 0424678
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 0424678.
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 Veteran's service connection claims for hypertension, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, GERD, Barrett's esophagus, and arrhythmia are remanded due to pre-decisional errors in obtaining necessary medical opinions.
- Denied
The Board denied the claims for service connection due to lack of new and relevant evidence.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a duty to assist error and further examination.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection of heart conditions was granted with an effective date of June 11, 2020. The claim had been continuously pursued since the receipt of a VA Form 21-0966 on that date.
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.