The Veteran's service-connected conditions did not cause or contribute substantially to his death. The Board found that pneumonia, which led to the Veteran's death, was not related to service.
The deciding factor: Pneumonia, a condition not shown in service and for many years thereafter, was not linked to any of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- posttraumatic stress disorder, frostbite of the hands and feet (each rated as 10 percent), urticaria, leukoplakia of the lower lip, myositis of the right shoulder, pilonidal cystectomy, prostatitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 28, 2010
- Citation
- 1004366
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 1004366.
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
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The appeal for a temporary total evaluation because of hospital treatment in excess of 21 days for service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder was withdrawn by the Veteran's representative and is therefore dismissed.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for urticaria, as there was no evidence that the condition required antihistamines or other first-line treatment for control during the review period.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for prostatitis, HIV, CHF, GERD, herpes, a pulmonary disability, headaches, and type 2 diabetes mellitus as the evidence did not support a finding of a current disability or a nexus to service or a service-connected disability.
- Granted
The Board granted an increased (Level 2) stipend in the PCAFC for the Veteran's caregiver due to the need for continuous supervision and protection based on the Veteran's medical conditions.
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