The Board found that the Veteran's death was not related to his military service, as no competent medical evidence demonstrated a connection between his service and his cause of death.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner opined that the Veteran's PTSD did not contribute significantly enough to be either a direct or indirect cause of his death. The left knee synovitis was also deemed insufficient to have caused his death.
- Claimed conditions
- Cerebrovascular accident
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 9, 2009
- Citation
- 0904653
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 Board remands the claims for service connection for adrenal gland tumor, hypertension, enlarged node of the breast, congestive heart failure, kidney disability, pulmonary edema, cerebrovascular accident, Conn's disease, and paralysis of left lower extremity to obtain a VA examination and opinion.
- Denied
The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and he did not have qualifying service for nonservice-connected pension benefits. The Board denied the claims.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the cause of the veteran's death, finding that no service-connected disability caused or contributed to his death.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
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.