The Board has ordered additional development to address the cause of the veteran's death and entitlement to DIC. The appellant must provide evidence that her husband's PTSD caused or aggravated his post-service use of tobacco, which led to nicotine addiction and heart disease resulting in his death.
The deciding factor: The VA is required to obtain a medical opinion addressing whether the veteran's service-connected PTSD caused or aggravated his post-service use of tobacco products, leading to nicotine addiction and ultimately causing his death.
- Claimed conditions
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 30, 2006
- Citation
- 0619360
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 0619360.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for degenerative joint disease of the right hip, left hip, and left shoulder, as well as PTSD. The claim for a higher rating for the right knee scar was denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, due to inadequate medical opinions and a Stegall violation.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's PTSD warranted a 70 percent rating from September 1, 2021, to February 3, 2022, due to occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for insomnia, PTSD, and depression due to a need for additional development.
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