The Veteran's Whipple resection and subsequent complications are not considered to be due to VA carelessness, negligence, lack of proper skill, error in judgment or similar fault. The Board finds that the additional disability is not caused by VA treatment.
The deciding factor: VA treatment did not cause the Veteran's secondary chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic insufficiency as a result of his Whipple resection.
- Claimed conditions
- status postoperative Whipple resection, secondary chronic pancreatitis, pancreatic insufficiency
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 29, 2012
- Citation
- 1211430
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1211430.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for pancreatic insufficiency and a compensable rating for bronchitis, while remanding the claim for service connection for gastritis.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board granted service connection for pancreatic insufficiency, finding a medical nexus between the condition and the Veteran's service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder with alcohol use disorder.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a need for an addendum opinion regarding whether the Veteran's pancreas disability is at least as likely as not caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied a rating in excess of 20 percent for the Veteran's residuals of a Whipple procedure and partial removal of the pancreas prior to March 11, 2008 due to lack of evidence supporting a higher rating.
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