The Veteran's death was caused by acute combined drug toxicity, which resulted from medications prescribed for his service-connected disabilities. The Board found that the cause of death was related to service.
The deciding factor: The cause of death (acute combined drug toxicity) was due to medications prescribed for his service-connected disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- Low back pain secondary to bulging disks, Anxiety disorder, Rhinitis, Esophageal reflux disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- March 21, 2012
- Citation
- 1210465
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 1210465.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depressive disorder. The evidence is at least in balance regarding whether his current conditions are related to his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected anxiety disorder, lumbar strain with degenerative arthritis, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy contributed to his death from congestive heart failure. The claim for DIC under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 is denied as the Veteran did not meet the criteria of having a combined rating of at least one year immediately preceding death.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's OSA, including whether it is caused or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD and/or rhinitis, as well as its relationship to in-service exposure.
- Denied
The Board has denied service connection for a psychiatric disability to include PTSD and an anxiety disorder, other than the service-connected insomnia disorder. The claims for recurrent right shoulder disability, recurrent left shoulder disability, and obstructive sleep apnea are remanded.
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