The Board finds that the Veteran's service-connected schizophrenia did not cause or contribute to his death, and thus denies the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death.
The deciding factor: VA examination reports indicate that it is less likely as not that the Veteran's cause of death was due to an injury or event during military service, and that it is less likely than not that his service-connected schizophrenia caused or contributed to his cause of death. Rather, risk factors such as tobacco use and hypertension were more likely contributing causes.
- Claimed conditions
- ASHD (arteriosclerotic heart disease), AFIB (atrial fibrillation), HTN (hypertension), COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), BPH (benign prostatic hypertrophy)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 26, 2016
- Citation
- 1616605
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 1616605.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a lack of adequate VA examination reports, which are necessary to determine the relationship between the Veteran's claimed conditions and his military service.
- Denied
The Board has denied service connection for various conditions including depression, mental health disorder, TBI, alopecia, headaches, TMJ disorder, insomnia, OSA, conjunctivitis, dry eye disorder, glaucoma, PFB, rhinitis, sinusitis, deviated septum, neck disorder, right shoulder disorder, left shoulder disorder, right elbow disorder, left elbow disorder, asthma, hyperthyroid disorder, hives, anemia, DM (diabetes mellitus), heart disorder, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), kidney stones, hiatal hernia, hemorrhoids, right hip/thigh disorder, left hip/thigh disorder, varicose veins, heel spurs, pes planus, bunions, RUE neuropathy, LUE neuropathy, right hand disorder, left hand disorder, back disorder, RLE neuropathy, LLE neuropathy, HTN (hypertension), GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), bladder disorder, ED (erectile dysfunction), prostate disorder, and gout.
- Denied
The Board denied the claims for a rating in excess of 10 percent for pseudofolliculitis barbae and left ear hearing loss, as well as service connection for COPD. The claims for right knee arthritis and bilateral foot condition were remanded.
- Granted
Service connection for hypertension is granted pursuant to the PACT Act.,Service connection for stroke residuals is granted because the evidence shows that service-connected hypertension caused his strokes.
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.