The Board has determined that the veteran's gastrointestinal disability, which more nearly approximated severe disablement in the year prior to his death, contributed substantially or materially to his cause of death. By resolving all doubts in favor of the appellant, service connection for the cause of the veteran's death is granted.
The deciding factor: The reviewing VA pulmonary medical specialist found that the residuals of the veteran's pyloroduodenal ulcer and gastric surgery residuals were likely not productive of an injury to his lung causing him to develop fatal acute and chronic pulmonary edema due to hyaline membrane proliferation, but service connection was granted based on equipoise in showing a material contributory role.
- Claimed conditions
- pulmonary edema, pyloroduodenal ulcer disease, gastric resection
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 28, 2006
- Citation
- 0627091
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,599 · Granted: 37% (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 0627091.
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 has remanded the claims of asthma, pulmonary edema, COPD, vascular disease, dementia, and gastroenteritis due to a lack of evidence regarding service connection.
- Denied
The Veteran's adrenal gland tumor and enlarged node in breast are not service-connected as they did not develop during his active duty or are not related to an injury or disease incurred in service.,His hypertension is not service-connected as there is no evidence of its development during his active duty, reserve service, or secondary to a service-connected condition. The Veteran's assertion that it was due to exposure to diesel fuel in service is not supported by the record.,The Veteran's kidney disability, pulmonary edema, cerebrovascular accident, and Conn's disease are not service-connected as there is no evidence of their development during his active duty or reserve service periods.,His paralysis of the left lower extremity and paralysis of the left upper extremity are not service-connected as they did not develop during his active duty or are not related to an injury or disease incurred in service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inconsistencies in medical opinions and lack of addressing all relevant evidence. The Veteran is presumed Gulf War veteran, and his symptoms have persisted since service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for loss of teeth has been withdrawn. The Board also denied the claims for service connection for pulmonary edema and sleep apnea, and remanded the TDIU claim.
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