The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected conditions did not contribute substantially or materially to his death from dilated cardiomyopathy, which had an unknown etiology. The Appellant's claim for DIC benefits was therefore denied.
The deciding factor: Service connection could not be established as there was no evidence linking any of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities to the cause of death (dilated cardiomyopathy).
- Claimed conditions
- Guillain-Barré syndrome, Degenerative joint disease of lower back, Degenerative joint disease of right and left shoulder, Osteoarthritic changes of right elbow, Arthromy of left elbow with extension deficit, Chondromalacia of left knee, Right knee arthralgia, Status post left ankle injury with limited motion, Bilateral hearing loss, Onychomycosis of left great toenail
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 19, 2013
- Citation
- 1323105
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 1323105.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for a low back disorder was reopened, and his claims for increased ratings of bilateral knee instability were granted. His hearing loss claim was denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeals of the initial ratings for his service-connected chronic cough and bilateral hearing loss are remanded due to procedural errors in the evidentiary record.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral pes planus with hammer toes, hallux valgus and degenerative arthritis, sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and bilateral kidney cysts, rendered him unable to secure or follow gainful employment. The Board granted the TDIU based on these conditions.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus) do not prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.
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