The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected malaria did not cause or contribute to his death, which was due to COPD exacerbation with aspiration and GI bleed as a consequence of left lower lobe pneumonia.
The deciding factor: A VA medical opinion concluded that the Veteran's service-connected malaria did not cause or contribute substantially or materially to the cause of his death.
- Claimed conditions
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), Left lower lobe pneumonia, Gastrointestinal (GI) bleed
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 26, 2010
- Citation
- 1040224
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 1040224.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, chronic fatigue syndrome, and obstructive sleep apnea. Service connection was denied for gastroesophageal reflux disease, diabetes mellitus, left subclavian artery thrombus status post thrombectomy, and lumbar spine disability. The claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder and sinusitis were remanded.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) and chronic bronchitis pursuant to the PACT Act, denied service connection for chronic sinusitis, and remanded several other claims including those related to gastrointestinal issues, pancreatitis, and hip strains.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a pancreatic condition, COPD, a gallbladder condition, and a liver condition as the evidence did not support their diagnosis or that they were related to the Veteran's military service. The claim for an increased rating for hypothyroidism was also denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for GERD, COPD, and hypertensive vascular disease due to insufficient efforts in verifying his reported service in Thailand, Camp Lejeune, and Guam. Additional development is needed to confirm these service locations and address exposure claims.
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