The Board found that the Veteran's death was not caused or contributed to by any service-connected disability, including his VA-compensated cognitive disorder. The Board concluded there is no evidence of a connection between the cause of death and service.
The deciding factor: There is no medical opinion linking the Veteran's death to his service-connected disabilities, nor does the record show that these conditions caused or contributed to his death.
- Claimed conditions
- Congestive Heart Failure, Diabetes Mellitus, Peripheral Vascular Disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 14, 2011
- Citation
- 1138432
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 1138432.
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 appeal was granted for various disabilities, including service connection for depressive disorder and increased evaluations for diabetic peripheral neuropathy affecting multiple nerve groups. A SMC based on need for aid and attendance was also awarded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination focusing on his service-connected disabilities and their impact on his eligibility for benefits, as well as his need for aid and attendance.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for an increased rating of 100 percent for CAD was granted effective November 28, 2023. The effective date is based on the date of a VA examination showing the increase in disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and diabetes are being remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine the etiology of these conditions.
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