The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, concluding that there was no evidence to support a finding that PTSD or any other service-connected condition contributed to his death.
The deciding factor: The medical opinion concluded that the Veteran's mental condition could not be considered a contributory cause of his death and that the risk factors associated with the surgical procedure he underwent were more significant than any potential contribution from his service-connected conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Cardiac arrest due to dissection of ascending aorta, Coagulopathy
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- November 17, 2009
- Citation
- 0943609
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 0943609.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
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: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for reimbursement of medical expenses at a private facility is remanded due to the need for additional records and clarification from the Veteran.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the cause of death due to alcoholic cirrhosis, which was caused by alcohol dependence aggravated by PTSD resulting from combat experiences in Vietnam.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's death was not due to a service-connected disability, and the Appellant withdrew her appeal for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board finds that the Veteran's death was not caused or hastened by a disability incurred in or aggravated by service. The cause of death listed is pulmonary hemorrhage, due to or as a consequence of coagulopathy, due to or as a consequence of end stage renal disease.
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