The Board denied the appellant's claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that there was no evidence to support a finding that any condition not yet service-connected contributed to the Veteran's death. The Board also found that the Veteran did not have hepatitis B or C as a result of VA medical treatment.
The deciding factor: The medical opinion indicated that the cause of death was cirrhosis of the liver due to alcohol abuse, and there was no evidence linking any condition not yet service-connected to the Veteran's death. The appellant had hepatitis B and/or C but it did not contribute to his death as per VA regulations.
- Claimed conditions
- cirrhosis of the liver, renal failure due to hepatic disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 29, 2010
- Citation
- 1024173
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 1024173.
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.
- Dismissed
The appeals for service connection for various conditions were dismissed due to the Veteran's death.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for cirrhosis of the liver, finding that it was due to herbicide exposure during the Veteran's service in Vietnam.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an initial rating of 40 percent for hepatitis C and cirrhosis of the liver, but denied earlier effective dates for service connection and a higher rating for tinnitus.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for cirrhosis of the liver and hepatitis B, finding no evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.