The Veteran's death was not caused by any service-connected disability, and the appellant is therefore not entitled to VA benefits under 38 C.F.R. § 3.11.
The deciding factor: There is no evidence linking the cause of death (gunshot wound) to a service-connected condition or exposure basis.
- Claimed conditions
- PTSD, sleep apnea, posttraumatic stress disorder, maxillary and ethmoid sinusitis, hearing loss, tinnitus, residuals of a left ankle fracture, damage to Muscle Groups X and XI of the left leg with retained shrapnel, left leg scar, scar of the left fifth finger
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 5, 2015
- Citation
- 1500191
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 1500191.
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.
- Granted
The Board of Veterans' Appeals has granted service connection for PTSD and Mood Disorders, both presumed conditions under the PACT Act.
- 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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The issues of foot disability and cardiovascular disorder are remanded for additional development.
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