The Board has determined that the veteran's service-connected duodenal ulcer and bipolar disorder did not significantly contribute to his death, as indicated by the certificate of death. The claim for DIC under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 is therefore denied.
The deciding factor: The cause of death listed on the certificate of death was metastatic colon cancer, which was due to or a consequence of probable pneumonia and colitis. While the veteran had service-connected duodenal ulcer disease and bipolar disorder, there is no evidence suggesting that these conditions played a material causal role in his death.
- Claimed conditions
- duodenal ulcer, bipolar disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 21, 2008
- Citation
- 0809574
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 0809574.
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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- Granted
The Veteran's bipolar disorder was rated at 50% and then reduced to 30%. The Board has now granted a 70% rating effective November 23, 2021, based on the improvement in her symptoms.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have resulted in loss of use of both feet, which qualifies her for an allowance for an automobile and adaptive equipment.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to March 2, 2015, for TDIU was denied as the evidence did not show actual worsening within one year prior to his March 2, 2015, claim.
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