The Board found that the veteran's service-connected PTSD did not cause or contribute substantially to his death, and concluded that his fatal cardiovascular-renal disease and emphysema were due to his history of hypercholesterolemia and extensive cigarette smoking.
The deciding factor: A VA examiner opined that the veteran's fatal ASCVD and emphysema was a result of his history of hypercholesterolemia and extensive cigarette smoking, not related to service-connected PTSD.
- Claimed conditions
- Cardiovascular-renal disease, Emphysema
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 21, 2006
- Citation
- 0636264
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 0636264.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, ischemic heart disease (IHD), percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with stent placement as secondary to IHD, hypertensive heart disease, and emphysema. The COPD claim was denied.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for mantle cell lymphoma, emphysema, diabetes mellitus, Type II, bilateral foot neuropathy, and an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and antisocial personality disorder.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a respiratory disability to include COPD, emphysema, and restrictive lung disease for further development as the RO did not substantially comply with previous Board directives.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 30 percent rating for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) prior to June 12, 2024, and denied all other claims including service connection for various respiratory conditions.
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