The Board has determined that the veteran's death may be related to his enterocutaneous fistula, which was a service-connected disability. The case is being remanded for further development and consideration.
The deciding factor: The VA physician will determine if the enterocutaneous fistula contributed substantially or materially to the veteran's death, combined with other disorders to cause it.
- Claimed conditions
- bronchiopneumonia, emphysema, pulmonary thromboembolism
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 9, 2005
- Citation
- 0503273
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 0503273.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for emphysema and pulmonary hypertension, finding that the Veteran's emphysema was caused by active service, including participation in a toxic exposure risk activity (TERA), and that his pulmonary hypertension is secondary to his emphysema.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for Parkinson's disease, emphysema, muscle cramps, bilateral shoulder disability, and neck disability. However, it granted service connection for peripheral vascular disease and asthma.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for COPD, emphysema, a chest wall condition, PTSD, adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, chronic, a low back condition, TBI, and a chest tumor.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for diabetes mellitus and emphysema, finding that the evidence is in approximate balance.
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.