The Board found that the Veteran did not have a service-connected disability at the time of his death, and thus could not establish service connection for the cause of death. The Appellant's claim for nonservice-connected death pension benefits was denied as she did not meet the eligibility requirements due to lack of active military service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran had no service-connected disabilities during his lifetime and therefore could not be granted service connection for the cause of death. Additionally, the Appellant did not have a qualifying period of wartime service or receive compensation for a service-connected disability at the time of her husband's death.
- Claimed conditions
- Peptic Ulcer
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 14, 2015
- Citation
- 1516098
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 1516098.
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 Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD due to Military Sexual Trauma is granted. The claims for service connection for Peptic Ulcer and Tachycardia are remanded.
- Denied
The Board has dismissed the appeal of the issue regarding service connection for inflammatory bowel disease due to withdrawal by the Veteran. The claims for service connection for peptic ulcer, hemorrhoids, and anal fissure were denied as there is no current evidence of these conditions.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 was denied because the VA medical personnel did not cause his additional disability, as he already had a diagnosed peptic ulcer prior to their treatment.
- Denied
The Board found that the appellant's peptic ulcer was not caused by VA carelessness, negligence, or error in judgment. The event was considered foreseeable due to his age and use of NSAIDs.
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.