The Veteran's cause of death was listed as bilateral pneumonia, cerebrovascular disease, and Parkinson's disease. The Board found that his service-connected knee disabilities did not contribute substantially to his immobility or development of pneumonia.
The deciding factor: The examiner opined that the Veteran's multiple comorbidities (including previous strokes and Parkinson's disease) were more significant contributors to his immobility than his service-connected knee disabilities, which led to less likely than not that they caused his immobility.
- Claimed conditions
- Parkinson's disease, Bilateral knee disabilities (left and right), Bilateral pes planus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 19, 2010
- Citation
- 1018591
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 1018591.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board denied a rating in excess of 50 percent for bilateral pes planus and remanded the claims for service connection for tingling and numbness in the bilateral lower extremities and entitlement to TDIU.
- Granted
The Board granted earlier effective dates of November 5, 2021, for the grants of service connection and eligibility for DEA benefits.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted a TDIU for the period from May 25, 2016 to January 18, 2017 due to his service-connected disabilities.
- Dismissed
The appeal seeking entitlement to service connection for Parkinson's disease was dismissed due to the Veteran's death during the pendency of the appeal.
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