The Veteran's death was attributed to respiratory insufficiency and advanced dementia. The appellant contends that his service-connected PTSD aggravated these conditions, contributing to his death.
The deciding factor: The medical nexus opinion is needed to determine whether the service-connected PTSD contributed substantially or materially to the Veteran's cause of death from respiratory insufficiency and advanced dementia.
- Claimed conditions
- PTSD, posttraumatic arthritis of the left knee, left knee lateral meniscus removal and repair of the posterior cruciate ligament, bilateral hearing loss, degenerative arthritis of the right knee associated with the left knee lateral meniscus removal and repair of the posterior cruciate ligament, degenerative arthritis of the fifth PIP joint, traumatic fracture of the right hip associated with post traumatic arthritis of the left knee, mild varicose veins, right inguinal hernia, postoperative appendectomy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 28, 2010
- Citation
- 1028169
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 1028169.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Granted
The Board of Veterans' Appeals has granted service connection for PTSD and Mood Disorders, both presumed conditions under the PACT Act.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
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