The medications the Veteran took for his service-connected disabilities, including pain medication and PTSD treatment, caused his death from small bowel obstruction.
The deciding factor: Medications prescribed for the Veteran's service-connected conditions (shell fragment wounds, total knee replacements, PTSD) contributed to constipation and ultimately led to a small bowel obstruction that caused his death.
- Claimed conditions
- shell fragment wound Muscle Group XIV with compound fracture distal third right femur, total right knee replacement, gunshot scar left thigh, fractured 7th fibula with pleuritis and retained foreign bodies at 3rd and 10th ribs, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 5, 2016
- Citation
- 1618099
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 1618099.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder and PTSD. The Veteran will be asked to provide additional medical records and undergo a VA examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his alleged stressors.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
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