The veteran's service-connected stroke contributed to his death from pulmonary abscess. Service connection for the cause of death is granted.
The deciding factor: The veteran's service-connected stroke left him debilitated, making him more susceptible to other diseases that ultimately caused his death (pulmonary abscess).
- Claimed conditions
- Pulmonary abscess, Vertebral artery stroke
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 17, 2008
- Citation
- 0843547
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 0843547.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
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 found that the Veteran's service-connected PTSD did not substantially or materially contribute to his death, and that the causes of death were not present during service or until years after discharge from service. The Board concluded that the cause of death was intravenous drug abuse, which is not directly related to service.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board finds that the veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and thus does not warrant service connection for the cause of death.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
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