The VA medical opinions determined that the Veteran's cause of death (adult respiratory distress syndrome due to pneumonia) was not related to his active duty service. The examiner also noted that obesity, which preexisted service and did not worsen during service, was less likely than not etiologically related to the Veteran's active duty service. Sleep apnea, diagnosed after separation from service, could not be determined to have been caused by service without resorting to speculation.
The deciding factor: The VA medical opinions concluded that the primary causes of death (adult respiratory distress syndrome and pneumonia) were not at least as likely as not related to the Veteran's active duty service due to their acute nature. Obesity preexisted service and did not worsen during service, while sleep apnea was diagnosed after separation from service.
- Claimed conditions
- Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Pneumonia, Obesity, Sleep Apnea
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 16, 2012
- Citation
- 1213929
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 1213929.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for sleep apnea, finding that the evidence did not support a link between the condition and service.
- Denied
The claims for PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disorder, memory loss/memory problems, chronic fatigue, sleep difficulties/sleep disturbances, and sleep apnea have been denied. The claim for service connection for residuals of testicular denervation and varicosectomy has been granted.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's asthma is currently rated at 30 percent, and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.,The Veteran's sleep apnea claim has been remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that it is secondary to her service-connected PTSD and obesity. The decision also acknowledges the Veteran's participation in a TERA during service.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.