The Board found new and material evidence to reopen the claim for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, but determined that the service-connected disability did not contribute substantially or materially to the cause of death. The cause of death was attributed to a pulmonary embolism with probable source from the left thigh allegedly hit by shrapnel during World War II.
The deciding factor: The VA physician could not resolve whether the veteran's cause of death was related to service without resorting to speculation due to lack of supporting evidence.
- Claimed conditions
- muscle hernia, pulmonary embolism
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 23, 2007
- Citation
- 0722224
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 0722224.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for pulmonary embolism as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected status post spigelian herniorrhaphy, finding that the surgery increased her risk of developing a pulmonary embolism.
- Granted
The Veteran's pulmonary disability is directly related to his active service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for high blood pressure and irritable bowel syndrome, but granted service connection for muscle hernia as secondary to the Veteran's right knee joint osteoarthritis. The decision is mixed as some issues were granted while others were not.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a duty-to-assist error regarding the Veteran's exposure to asbestos and Agent Orange during service. The claims are now pending for further development.
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.