The Veteran's unauthorized medical expenses incurred at OakBend Medical Center on February 19 and 20, 2009 are now covered by VA as the closest VA facility was not feasibly available to treat his ventral hernia condition.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's ventral hernia required emergent treatment due to a seeping ulceration, which would have been hazardous if delayed. The nearest VA facility (Houston VAMC) was not feasibly available and an attempt to use it beforehand would not have been reasonable given the circumstances.
- Claimed conditions
- stricture of rectum and anus, major depressive disorder, ventral hernia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 27, 2011
- Citation
- 1128056
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 1128056.
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
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