The Veteran's cause of death, liver failure due to hepatocellular carcinoma, was caused by his service-connected anxiety disorder which led to alcoholism.
The deciding factor: Service connection for the cause of death granted as the Veteran's anxiety disorder with secondary alcoholism contributed substantially and materially to his liver cancer and subsequent death.
- Claimed conditions
- Alcoholism, Hepatocellular carcinoma, Liver failure
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- April 16, 2009
- Citation
- 0914199
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 0914199.
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: Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for cirrhosis, hepatitis C, hepatocellular carcinoma, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), gastritis, Barrett's esophagus, and obstructive sleep apnea but dismissed the claim for an acquired psychiatric disability.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection of the Veteran's cause of death to obtain an adequate medical opinion regarding the etiology of hepatocellular carcinoma and its relation to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for PTSD was dismissed due to an improper concurrent election of review options, and the claim for alcoholism was denied as a matter of law.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death to obtain a medical opinion regarding whether his fatal hepatocellular carcinoma was related to his in-service asbestos exposure and other duties.
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