The Board found that the Veteran's fatal aspiration pneumonia was not due to a service-connected disability, and concluded that no service-connected condition contributed to his death.
The deciding factor: The VA physician reviewed the file and determined that there was no evidence linking any of the Veteran's service-connected conditions to his fatal aspiration pneumonia or dysphagia.
- Claimed conditions
- aspiration pneumonia, severe dysphagia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 20, 2010
- Citation
- 1027139
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 1027139.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of evidence regarding the Veteran's service in Guam or American Samoa, which could affect his presumptive service connection based on herbicide exposure under the PACT Act.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have precluded him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment since March 30, 2020. The Board has granted a TDIU for this period.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that the cause was not related to active service or any incident of service.
- Denied
The Veteran's claimed conditions, including aspiration pneumonia, loss of balance, genital infection, rash and/or itching, and bladder and bowel control issues, are not considered to be caused by VA treatment or lack thereof. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions were increased as a result of VA care.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
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.