The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral knee arthritis and lumbar osteoarthritis, contributed to his death from septic shock. Service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is granted.
The deciding factor: Dr. Mercado's opinion established a link between the Veteran's service-connected conditions and his death due to sepsis resulting from cellulitis.
- Claimed conditions
- loss of use of feet, degenerative arthritis of the right knee, degenerative arthritis of the left knee, lumbar osteoarthritis, residual chronic sprain left ankle with limitation of motion, arthritis of the left hip, arthritis of the right hip
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- December 13, 2013
- Citation
- 1341133
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 1341133.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to their death. The claims for increased ratings and individual unemployability have all been dismissed.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his left femur fracture with degenerative arthritis of the left knee was dismissed because there was no appealable decision on this issue in the year preceding the June 2021 Notice of Disagreement.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for degenerative arthritis of the spine and left knee, finding that there is a causal relationship between these conditions and service based on continuity of symptoms since service.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected low back disability, along with other disabilities, rendered her unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment as of April 1, 2020. She is granted a TDIU effective from that date.,Effective April 1, 2020, the Veteran also received SMC at the 's' rate due to having one service-connected disability rated as 100 percent disabling and additional disabilities independently rated at least 60 percent disabling.
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