The Board found that the veteran's service-connected pulmonary disability did not contribute to his death, and there was no evidence linking his C. difficile colitis to service.
The deciding factor: The veteran's cause of death was due to C. difficile colitis, which developed after he received antibiotic treatment for an exacerbation of COPD (likely triggered by acute bronchitis). The Board determined that the veteran's service-connected pulmonary disability did not contribute to his death and there was no evidence linking his C. difficile colitis to service.
- Claimed conditions
- Spontaneous Pneumothorax with Residual Bronchitis and Pleurisy, C. difficile colitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 2, 2008
- Citation
- 0821733
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 0821733.
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
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for payment of non-VA medical services provided on December 19, 2016, is being remanded due to inadequate notice regarding the basis for the denial and the criteria for reimbursement under the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that no service-connected disability was either the principal or a contributory cause of his death.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and thus denied both his claim for service connection for cause of death and his claim under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151.
- Denied
The Board found that the veteran's death was not caused by carelessness, negligence, or similar instance of fault on the part of VA in providing hospital care, medical treatment, or examination. The June 2003 VA opinion concluded there is no evidence of negligence.
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.