The Veteran's death was ruled a suicide, but the Board found that he was mentally unsound at the time of his death. The appellant contends for service connection for a psychiatric disorder and lung problems due to asbestos exposure, but these claims were denied as the act of suicide is considered evidence of mental unsoundness.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's act of suicide is considered evidence of mental unsoundness, thus not constituting willful misconduct. However, his death was ruled a suicide, and there is no service-connected disability to support a claim for cause of death benefits.
- Claimed conditions
- gunshot wound to the heart, nervous condition with depression
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 18, 2010
- Citation
- 1006002
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 1006002.
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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