The Veteran's death was caused by decompensated liver disease and respiratory failure. The appellant seeks service connection for the cause of his death, contending that his adenocarcinoma of the prostate contributed to his fatal hepatocellular cancer.
The deciding factor: The VA physician did not provide a clear opinion on whether any of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities substantially or materially contributed to his death. The appellant also contends that her husband's service-connected adenocarcinoma of the prostate may have caused his hepatocellular cancer, which was fatal.
- Claimed conditions
- adenocarcinoma of the prostate, osteoarthritis of the right shoulder, osteoarthritis of the left shoulder, peripheral vascular insufficiency of the left lower extremity, peripheral vascular insufficiency of the right lower extremity, hypertension, conjunctivitis, diabetes mellitus, type II, impotence
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 25, 2012
- Citation
- 1233055
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 1233055.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to conflicting opinions regarding service connection for peripheral neuropathy, hypertension, and skin disabilities related to herbicide exposure.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension and increased rating for anxiety disorder have been denied. The Board found that there is no evidence of a current disability meeting the criteria for hypertension, and the Veteran's anxiety disorder does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
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