The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected traumatic encephalopathy with related mental impairment caused him to increase his smoking, which led to atherosclerotic heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The Board concluded that this contributed substantially or materially to cause his death.
The deciding factor: The VA pulmonologist opined that the Veteran's service-connected psychiatric disability likely increased his smoking habit, leading to COPD, which in turn contributed substantially to his death.
- Claimed conditions
- cardiorespiratory failure, atherosclerotic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes mellitus
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- May 21, 2010
- Citation
- 1018846
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 1018846.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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- Partly granted
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- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and sleep apnea to obtain a TERA opinion due to the Veteran's participation in a toxic exposure risk activity during his service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations.
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