The Board found that there is no relationship between the Veteran's service-connected PTSD and his cause of death from COPD. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that any other service-connected condition contributed to or caused his death.
The deciding factor: The medical opinions provided by VA physicians did not find a causal link between the Veteran's service-connected conditions and his cause of death, with one physician stating that PTSD did not contribute to his death due to adequate treatment for COPD at home.
- Claimed conditions
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Residuals of Shrapnel Wound to Left Lower Lobe of Left Lung, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 1, 2010
- Citation
- 1020111
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 1020111.
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.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's PTSD was granted a 70 percent rating prior to March 7, 2022, while other claims were denied.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD and GAD, as well as tinnitus.
- 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.
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