The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for the cause of the veteran's death and eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance, as there was no evidence to support a link between the veteran's death or the requirements for educational assistance and his military service.
The deciding factor: The competent medical evidence did not demonstrate that the veteran's death was related to an injury or disease incurred in or aggravated by active military service. There was also no evidence supporting the appellant's claim of a lung disability caused by in-service exposure to asbestos, which she alleged contributed to his suicide.
- Claimed conditions
- Gunshot wound to the head
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 11, 2008
- Citation
- 0812102
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,272 · Granted: 31% (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 0812102.
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's death was caused by a suicide due to a gunshot wound to the head, which is considered service-connected as it occurred during his active duty. The burial benefits are granted because the Appellant personally paid for the funeral and burial expenses.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient information regarding the Veteran's claimed in-service stressors, exposure to herbicide agents, and participation in combat. Additional development is required.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and need for a VA medical opinion regarding the cause of death.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining a VA mental disorders examination and reviewing the appellant's service records. The appellant is also required to provide information about any private treatment he received.
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