The Veteran's service-connected conditions did not cause or contribute substantially to his death. The VA medical expert concluded that none of the Veteran's service-connected conditions were risk factors for his death.
The deciding factor: None of the Veteran's service-connected conditions were identified as risk factors in credible peer-reviewed medical literature.
- Claimed conditions
- post-traumatic arthritis of both knees and ankles, fracture and gunshot wound of the left foot and ankle with retained foreign bodies, gunshot wound with a compound fracture of the right fibula, multiple scars
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- February 21, 2017
- Citation
- 1705083
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 1705083.
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 was granted TDIU for the period from January 1, 2017, but not earlier.,For the period from May 8, 2013, to December 31, 2016, the Veteran's employment did not meet the criteria for TDIU as his income exceeded the poverty threshold.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate reasons or bases in the decision, and additional development is needed. The Veteran should be provided another opportunity to submit a completed VA Form 21-8940 and updated treatment records.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed all the appeals for service connection due to the Veteran's death.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for left eye diplopia and TDIU on an extraschedular basis was denied. The Board found that the current 40 percent rating adequately reflects the severity of his disability, as it accounted for interference with employment due to loss of pilot and state trooper positions.
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