The Veteran received emergency medical care for a severe blood clot in his right leg at a non-VA hospital due to the unavailability of VA facilities. The Board found that it was reasonable and necessary for the Veteran to seek treatment at the nearest available facility, which was the non-VA Mercy Hospital Anderson.
The deciding factor: The urgency of the emergency condition (blood clot) necessitated immediate medical attention, making it unreasonable to expect the Veteran to delay seeking care at a nearby non-VA hospital in favor of a distant VA facility.
- Claimed conditions
- Blood clot in right leg
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- February 11, 2016
- Citation
- 1605418
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1605418.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
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