The Board finds that the cause of death, aspiration pneumonia due to stroke related dysphagia, was not caused by any service-connected disability. The Veteran had no established service connection for any condition prior to his death.
The deciding factor: There is no competent and probative evidence showing a nexus between any of the conditions listed as causing or contributing to cause the Veteran's death and his military service.
- Claimed conditions
- aspiration pneumonia, acute myocardial infarction (AMI), congestive heart failure (CHF), coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 15, 2009
- Citation
- 0939075
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 0939075.
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
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- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for cardiomyopathy and an initial compensable rating for a scar from a pacemaker implant are being remanded due to the need for clarification regarding his congestive heart failure.
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