The Board found that nicotine dependence, or any other service-connected disability, was not the proximate cause of the veteran's death; did not contribute substantially and materially to cause the veteran's death; did not make the veteran materialistically less capable of resisting the overwhelming effects of his fatal conditions; and/or did not have a material influence in accelerating his death.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that nicotine dependence, or any other service-connected disability, was not the proximate cause of the veteran's death and did not contribute substantially and materially to cause the veteran's death.
- Claimed conditions
- Nicotine dependence, Bronchopneumonia, Pulmonary embolism, Colon cancer
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 4, 2006
- Citation
- 0637554
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 0637554.
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
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