The Veteran's death was caused by left retroperitoneal hemorrhage, which may have been exacerbated by alcohol-induced thrombocytopenia. The appellant argues that the Veteran should be service-connected for his coronary artery arteriosclerosis due to exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam.
The deciding factor: The Board found that additional development is needed as there are incomplete records regarding the Veteran's service connection status and treatment history, particularly from the Fresno VAMC.
- Claimed conditions
- left retroperitoneal hemorrhage, cirrhosis and fatty metamorphosis of the liver, severe coronary artery arteriosclerosis, chronic cholecystitis with cholelithiasis, post mortem toxicology studies showing an ethyl alcohol level of 0.12 grams/100 grams of tissue
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- Agent Orange / herbicides
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 25, 2013
- Citation
- 1302844
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 1302844.
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
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