The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not cause or contribute to his death from pneumonia and heart disease. The claim for DIC benefits is denied.
The deciding factor: There is no medical evidence linking the Veteran's pneumonia and cardiovascular disease specifically to service, and the VA opinions found no causal relationship between any of the Veteran's service-connected conditions and his death.
- Claimed conditions
- PTSD, shell fragment scars of the lumbar spine with multiple retained foreign bodies, retained shrapnel wounds of the thoracic spine, tinnitus, residual scar of a left hernia repair, malaria, bilateral hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 20, 2014
- Citation
- 1411727
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 1411727.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Granted
The Board of Veterans' Appeals has granted service connection for PTSD and Mood Disorders, both presumed conditions under the PACT Act.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
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