The Board found that the veteran's service-connected disabilities did not contribute to his death. The appellant's income exceeded the statutory level for pension benefits, resulting in denial of her claim.
The deciding factor: Service-connected disabilities were not shown to be a contributory cause of the veteran's death and the appellant's income was above the maximum annual pension rate.
- Claimed conditions
- Acute pulmonary edema, Acute myocardial infarction, Renal insufficiency
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 21, 2006
- Citation
- 0611514
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 case to obtain new medical opinions regarding the Veteran's cause of death, specifically addressing his service in the Panama Canal Zone and potential exposure to toxins.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the case to determine whether the Veteran's service included travel to or near the DMZ or exposure to herbicide agents while in Korea.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's in-service asbestos exposure and his death from acute respiratory failure. The appellant is asked to provide any relevant private treatment records, and VA will attempt to obtain them on her behalf.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's service aboard the USS White Plains in the territorial waters off of Vietnam, combined with credible observations by a fellow sailor, entitles the appellant to presumptive service connection for exposure to herbicide agents. As such, the cause of the Veteran’s death is now considered service-connected.
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.