The Board has determined that a service-connected disability contributed substantially or materially to the Veteran's death, and therefore grants service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence shows that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities caused an acute fall from an old knee injury which compromised his respiratory status, contributing to his death.
- Claimed conditions
- metastatic malignant melanoma, right knee subluxation with severe instability, left knee subluxation with moderate instability, peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity with right ankle arthralgia (to include degenerative changes) associated with right knee subluxation with severe instability, traumatic arthritis of the right knee, with limitation of motion, traumatic arthritis of the left knee, with limitation of motion
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 80%
- Decision date
- May 14, 2009
- Citation
- 0918116
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 0918116.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death, metastatic malignant melanoma, was related to his exposure to herbicide agents in service, specifically Agent Orange. The claim is granted.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter for a VA examination and medical opinion regarding the Veteran's metastatic malignant melanoma to determine if it is related to service, including exposure to herbicide agents.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA opinion regarding the cause of the Veteran's death, specifically his metastatic malignant melanoma. The appellant contends that this condition was caused by Agent Orange exposure during service.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for metastatic malignant melanoma, finding that there was no evidence of a causal relationship between his in-service exposure to herbicide agents and his current condition. The earliest diagnosis of the cancer was decades after service.
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