The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not contribute substantially or materially to his death, and his death was not caused by a disability incurred in or aggravated by active service.
The deciding factor: The VA opinion concluded that the Veteran's degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine was less likely than not related to his service-connected shell fragment wounds, and more likely due to bladder problems secondary to the Veteran's neurogenic bladder condition. The Board found this reasoning sufficient to deny the claim.
- Claimed conditions
- Residuals of a shell fragment wound to the right buttock with a retained foreign body, Shell fragment wound scar of the right buttock with limitation of motion of the lumbar spine, Shell fragment wound scar of the lumbar spine, Amputation of the distal phalanx of the left little finger, Respiratory failure, Aspiration pneumonia, Atrial fibrillation, Alzheimer's disease
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 27, 2011
- Citation
- 1120800
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 1120800.
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
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The Board has remanded the claim of entitlement to SMC based on the need for aid and attendance for the Veteran's spouse due to conflicting information in the June 2025 examination. A VA examination is needed to determine if the spouse requires regular aid and attendance.
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