The Veteran died due to chronic obstructive lung disease. The Board found that the Veteran was not in receipt of pension or compensation benefits at the time of her death, nor would she have been if she had lived. She did not die while hospitalized by VA, and there is no indication that she was discharged from service for a disability incurred in the line of duty. Therefore, burial benefits are denied.
The deciding factor: The Veteran died due to chronic obstructive lung disease but was not receiving pension or compensation at the time of her death, nor would she have been if she had lived. She did not die while hospitalized by VA and there is no indication that she was discharged from service for a disability incurred in the line of duty.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic obstructive lung disease
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- February 28, 2011
- Citation
- 1107966
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1107966.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's death is attributed to multiple conditions, including chronic obstructive lung disease. The Board has decided that the service connection for the cause of death must be remanded due to a duty-to-assist error.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for exostosis right foot and bilateral plantar fasciitis, but denied service connection for hysterectomy, left shoulder pain, right shoulder pain, dysmenorrhea, chronic obstructive lung disease, female sexual arousal disorder, and a foot callus.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical opinion regarding the etiologies of the Veteran's depression, alcohol use disorder, hypertension, and COPD in relation to his cause of death.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral benign breast tumors and chronic obstructive lung disease, finding no evidence linking these conditions to his active duty service.
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