The Board found that the Veteran's death was not caused by his service-connected left eye phthisis bulbi, and there is no evidence of a causal relationship between the Veteran's service and hypostatic pneumonia or left eye cancer. The cause of death listed on the death certificate was determined to be hypostatic pneumonia due to cancer of the left eye.
The deciding factor: The VA opinions found that the Veteran's phthisis bulbi did not contribute to his death, and there is no evidence linking his service-connected condition or any other condition to his fatal cancer.
- Claimed conditions
- hypostatic pneumonia, left eye cancer
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 2, 2014
- Citation
- 1400197
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 1400197.
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 an eye condition manifested as lazy eye or amblyopia and a left eye condition due to exposures to toxins, finding no current disability in either case.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for left eye cancer, finding that the Veteran's exposure to herbicide agents during his service in Vietnam is at least as likely as not related to his current condition.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's left eye cancer and liver cancer are not service-connected, with the Board finding no evidence linking these conditions to his military service or exposure to herbicides.,The cause of death (liver cancer) is also not service-connected due to lack of evidence supporting a link between the condition and the Veteran’s military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected bayonet wound substantially contributed to his hypostatic pneumonia and subsequent death, which was the immediate cause of death. The Board finds that this opinion is highly probative as it was rendered by a board certified cardiologist.
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.