The Board found that the service-connected PTSD did not substantially or materially contribute to the cause of the Veteran's death. The cause of the Veteran's death was determined to be pneumonia and aspiration, with other significant conditions contributing to death such as dementia, coronary artery disease, and history of stroke.
The deciding factor: The September 2013 VA psychologist opined that the service-connected PTSD did not have a causal connection to the cause of the Veteran's death.
- Claimed conditions
- Pneumonia, Aspiration, Dementia, Coronary artery disease, History of stroke
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 30, 2015
- Citation
- 1504533
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 1504533.
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 service connection for heart condition was granted with an effective date of August 1, 2019. The decision is based on evidence showing exposure to diesel and gas fuel during service.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD with cognitive impairment or dementia was rated at 50 percent from July 11, 2005 to March 4, 2021. From March 4, 2021, the Veteran's condition was rated at 100 percent.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected anxiety disorder and exposures at Camp LeJeune contributed to his cause of death. The VA must obtain an addendum opinion addressing these issues.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected PTSD has prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment since September 27, 2010. Additionally, he is in receipt of a 60 percent disability rating for coronary artery disease, which meets the criteria for SMC at the housebound rate.
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