The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected anxiety disorder contributed to his development of fatal COPD, which was the cause of death. Therefore, service connection for the cause of death is granted.
The deciding factor: The VA pulmonologist concluded that the service-connected anxiety disorder contributed to the veteran's death by worsening his chemical dependency disorder (nicotine use), which in turn caused the fatal COPD.
- Claimed conditions
- Anxiety disorder, Frostbite to the ears
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 5, 2006
- Citation
- 0613169
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 0613169.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, recurrent depressive disorder, and anxiety disorder due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for PTSD, depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, and unspecified bipolar and related disorder based on credible evidence of in-service stressors and continuous symptoms since service.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for a psychiatric disorder, other than posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), variously diagnosed as major depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, adjustment disorder, and panic disorder.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorder, and major depressive disorder as the Veteran does not have a currently diagnosed acquired psychiatric disorder related to his service.
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