The Board has determined that the service-connected PTSD contributed to or caused the veteran's death due to rhabdomyolysis and seizure disorder, resulting in a grant of service connection for the cause of the veteran's death.
The deciding factor: Service connection was granted because the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the veteran's substance abuse (aggravated by PTSD) caused or hastened his fatal seizure disorder, which led to rhabdomyolysis and ultimately contributed to his death.
- Claimed conditions
- rhabdomyolysis, seizure disorder
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 15, 2006
- Citation
- 0614192
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,421 · Granted: 29% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 0614192.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the issues of esophageal condition, right foot condition, headaches, seizure disorder, traumatic brain injury, and hypertension have been dismissed due to withdrawal by the Veteran during a Board hearing. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury, seizure disorder, photophobia, and headaches are being remanded due to the need to obtain Social Security Administration records.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and TDIU due to incomplete records, including SSA disability benefits records. The Veteran's right knee tendinopathy, tendinitis is not rated higher than 10 percent.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for radiculopathy, left and right lower extremities as secondary to lumbosacral strain due to a lack of an adequate medical opinion prior to the March 2025 rating decision. The Veteran is advised to cooperate with VA in obtaining relevant evidence.
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.