The Board has reopened the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of death due to new and material evidence. However, it was determined that the veteran's service-connected schizophrenia did not contribute substantially or materially to his death.
The deciding factor: The medical opinions indicated that the veteran's cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, and status post cholecystectomy were more likely caused by other factors such as smoking and depression rather than his service-connected schizophrenia.
- Claimed conditions
- schizophrenia, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, status post cholecystectomy
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- April 25, 2006
- Citation
- 0611813
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 0611813.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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The Board remands the claims for service connection for hypertension and diabetes mellitus to obtain further medical opinions regarding their potential relationship to toxic exposures during active service.
- Remanded (sent back)
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- Denied
The Board denied service connection for cervical spine condition, diabetes mellitus, heart condition, lumbar spine condition, and urinary frequency and voiding condition as there was no evidence of a current diagnosis or in-service incurrence or aggravation.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for asthma and remanded the claims for sinus disability, bilateral hip disability, right shoulder disability, hypertension, sleep apnea, diabetes mellitus, skin disability, back disability, bilateral neurological disability of the upper extremities, and bilateral neurological disability of the lower extremities.
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