The Board denied service connection for the cause of the veteran's death and denied eligibility for VA home loan guaranty benefits. The appellant argued that enterococcus septicemia, which caused the veteran's death, was related to his service due to previous infections like syphilis.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence did not establish a direct link between any service-connected condition and the cause of the veteran's death.
- Claimed conditions
- enterococcus septicemia, syphilis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- June 5, 2008
- Citation
- 0818677
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0818677.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings, finding that the evidence did not support a compensable disability rating or service connection for any of the claimed conditions.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for various claimed conditions, including abnormal weight loss, a bowel condition, psychiatric disorders, foot pain, hemorrhoids, sinusitis, syphilis, and tinnitus due to the lack of evidence showing current disabilities or functional impairment.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board granted service connection for acute urethritis due to neisseria gonorrhea, syphilis, a deviated septum, an anxiety disorder (acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD), and a traumatic deviated septum.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for hypogonadism or low testosterone and ED, but denied service connection for syphilis. Several conditions were remanded for further development.
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