The Veteran's death was attributed to acute cardiovascular insufficiency due to underlying arteriosclerotic coronary artery disease. The VA and private medical opinions concluded that the service-connected conditions did not contribute substantially or materially to his cause of death.
The deciding factor: VA and private medical opinions found no evidence linking the Veteran’s service-connected disabilities to his cause of death, which was attributed to hypertension.
- Claimed conditions
- Hairy cell leukemia, Thoracotomy, Splenectomy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- September 22, 2011
- Citation
- 1135689
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 1135689.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 100 percent disabling from June 5, 2013 to February 14, 2024.,The claim for TDIU prior to January 15, 2020 is denied as moot.
- Granted
The Veteran's hairy cell leukemia residuals are rated at a 60 percent disability rating, effective from the date of the decision.
- Granted
The Board has granted a 10 percent rating for hairy cell leukemia residuals and a 20 percent rating for chronic fatigue, both of which are considered direct service connection cases.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has ordered the AOJ to confirm whether the Veteran was exposed to ionizing radiation from a helicopter floor system during active duty or ACDUTRA and to obtain a new medical opinion as to the etiology of his leukemia.
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