The Board has determined that additional development is necessary in the current appeal, including obtaining medical opinions to address the etiology of the veteran's cause of death and whether his service-connected conditions contributed substantially or materially to his death.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there are insufficient medical opinions addressing the factors delineated in 38 C.F.R. § 3.312, which are necessary for a comprehensive analysis of the etiology of the veteran's cause of death.
- Claimed conditions
- alcoholic cirrhosis, right lower lobe lung mass
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 23, 2008
- Citation
- 0824643
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 0824643.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the cause of death due to alcoholic cirrhosis, as it was not related to the Veteran's military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding whether PTSD or an acquired psychiatric disability existed during service and its relation to current conditions, as well as determining if any psychiatric disorder was a substantial or contributing factor in the Veteran's death.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for alcoholic cirrhosis, finding that it is proximately caused by the Veteran's service-connected PTSD.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death due to new and material evidence. The case is now remanded for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records from a specific period and seeking an opinion on whether PTSD or an acquired psychiatric disability existed during service and its relationship to current conditions.
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.