The Veteran's death was not caused by any service-connected disability. Claims for accrued benefits were denied as the Veteran did not meet the criteria for such benefits at the time of his death.
The deciding factor: The cause of the Veteran's death (pneumonia, COPD, congestive heart failure, and failure to thrive) was not related to any service-connected disability or incurred in service. The Veteran had no pending claims for accrued benefits at the time of his death as he did not meet the criteria for such benefits.
- Claimed conditions
- Pneumonia, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Congestive Heart Failure, Failure to Thrive
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 29, 2010
- Citation
- 1015690
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 1015690.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for asbestosis, bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), rhinitis, sinusitis, and asthma. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was also denied a compensable rating.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for additional development, including obtaining a new examination and further developing evidence related to toxic exposure during service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) to include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), as a pre-decisional duty to assist error was found regarding the Veteran's COPD, and he needs an appropriate VA examination.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for COPD as secondary to diabetes and denied increased ratings for peripheral neuropathy conditions, while dismissing claims related to upper extremity neuropathy.
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