The Board has determined that service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is granted, as there is at least one probative medical opinion linking PTSD to the development and/or worsening of AAA, which contributed to his death.
The deciding factor: The evidence shows a causal relationship between the Veteran's service-connected PTSD and the development or aggravation of hypertension, which in turn caused or aggravated an underlying cause of death - AAA. The Board affords all reasonable doubt in favor of the appellant.
- Claimed conditions
- multi-systems failure, status post-abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 13, 2011
- Citation
- 1126381
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 1126381.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
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 for a medical opinion to determine whether the Veteran's fatal lobar pneumonia, chronic respiratory failure, and/or severe COPD had its onset in, or is otherwise related to his military service. The opinion should address potential environmental exposures during service and their relation to hypertension.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the cause of the Veteran's death, specifically whether his fatal conditions are related to service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's death was caused by cardiovascular collapse, bilateral pneumonia, and severe COPD. The appellant seeks service connection for the cause of her husband’s death, alleging exposure to asbestos while serving aboard the USS Kawishiwi, treatment for rheumatic fever in service, and development of a psychiatric disorder that contributed to his death.
- Denied
The Veteran's cause of death was not service-connected, as COPD and other conditions were ruled out. The Board found no evidence linking the Veteran’s heart disability to his service or any service-connected condition.
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