The Board found that the cause of death was not related to service-connected conditions and denied all issues. The appellant is not eligible for VA pension benefits due to lack of qualifying service.
The deciding factor: The decedent's death was caused by multiple organ failure with metastasis from renal cell cancer, which were not shown to be service-connected or presumptively connected under applicable regulations.
- Claimed conditions
- multiple organ failure, widespread metastasis of renal cell cancer
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 18, 2009
- Citation
- 0923000
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 0923000.
What this means for you
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to incomplete development and the need for an addendum opinion regarding the Veteran's cause of death. The appellant contends that the Veteran died from esophageal cancer caused by exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune or Agent Orange in Vietnam.
- Denied
The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, and the appellant did not meet the requirements for DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318.
- Denied
The Board found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the previously denied claim for service connection for cause of death. The Veteran's death was attributed to multiple organ failure due to coronary artery disease, with contributory factors including cardiovascular disease, hepatitis, alcohol consumption, and Agent Orange exposure.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to determine if new and material evidence has been submitted to reopen the appellant's claim of entitlement to service connection for the cause of the veteran's death. The RO must provide proper notice, obtain any relevant medical records, and then readjudicate the case.
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