The Board denied the Appellant's claim of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death because there was no evidence establishing that any of the death-causing conditions began in service or were related to service-connected conditions. The new evidence submitted since the September 2009 rating decision is cumulative and does not relate to any of the bases for the prior denial.
The deciding factor: The new evidence did not provide a connection between the service-connected conditions and the cause of death, nor did it indicate that the death-causing conditions are related to service.
- Claimed conditions
- septic shock, ascending cholangitis, obstructive jaundice, choledocholelithiasis, probably cholangiocarcinoma, hypoalbuminemia, anemia
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 7, 2017
- Citation
- 1720243
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 1720243.
What this means for you
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error and obtain a new medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service, his death, and any service-connected disabilities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's eligibility for PCAFC benefits is remanded due to the AOJ's failure to address whether it is in the best interest of the Veteran to participate in the program. The Board finds that the Veteran has been in need of personal care services for at least six continuous months based on an inability to perform the ADL of bathing.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for the cause of death due to lack of evidence showing a link between any service-connected disability and the Veteran's death. The conditions listed on his death certificate were not related to his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for further review of the evidence. The Board is unable to determine if there was a factual increase in disability prior to the effective dates requested, or if service connection should be granted based on the current evidence.
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