The Veteran's unauthorized medical care provided at Mercy Hospital on April 30, 2013 was for a condition of such a nature that a prudent layperson would have reasonably expected that delay in seeking immediate medical attention would have been hazardous to his life or health. The Board finds the criteria for reimbursement by VA are met.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's chest injury with multiple rib fractures, chest spasms, and difficulty breathing was of such severity that it required prompt emergency care which was not feasible at a VA facility due to distance.
- Claimed conditions
- multiple rib fractures, chest spasms, difficulty breathing
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 2, 2015
- Citation
- 1546350
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 1546350.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for extreme fatigue, difficulty breathing, sepsis, and urinary tract infection due to incomplete records and a need for additional medical opinions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided that the Veteran's respiratory disability, including difficulty breathing and COPD, is related to in-service toxic exposure risk activities. However, due to a duty to assist error, the case is being remanded for further evaluation.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA examination, specifically regarding the Veteran's exposure to burn pits and other airborne chemicals during his deployment to Honduras. The Veteran is seeking service connection for a respiratory disability, including COPD, chronic bronchitis, and difficulty breathing.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for chronic cough and difficulty breathing (diagnosed as chronic bronchitis) is dismissed. Service connection for aortic aneurysm is granted.
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