The Veteran's service-connected conditions did not contribute to his death. The Board found that the immediate cause of death was myocardial infarction, but ruled out a causal link between his service-connected bilateral nephrolithiasis and his renal failure.
The deciding factor: The VA medical review concluded that the Veteran’s renal function was normal at the time of his death, ruling out any contribution from his service-connected bilateral nephrolithiasis. The examiner also noted other causes for the Veteran's death such as heart attack and lung cancer.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral nephrolithiasis, paranoid type schizophrenic reaction, hypertensive heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic renal failure
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 23, 2010
- Citation
- 1023449
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 1023449.
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 the Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic renal failure, finding that the evidence does not support a link between the condition and his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a heart condition to obtain an addendum opinion from a VA clinician regarding whether the Veteran's current heart condition is related to service, including in-service treatment for hypertension.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease, obstructive sleep apnea, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease but denied service connection for irritable bowel syndrome. The Board also denied an increased rating for the Veteran's service-connected psychiatric condition.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for multiple conditions, including a bilateral eye disability and cardiovascular conditions, based on the Veteran's in-service occupational exposures.
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