The Board has determined that the service-connected disabilities did not cause or contribute to the Veteran's death. The respiratory failure and pneumonia that caused his death were not related to service, while the service-connected conditions (cervical spine limitation of motion, left shoulder condition from a gunshot wound, PTSD) are not considered contributory causes of death.
The deciding factor: The Board found no evidence linking the cause of death (respiratory failure and pneumonia) to any service-connected disability. The Veteran's service treatment records did not show any chronic lung disorder or tuberculosis in service. The private physician's opinion regarding malaria, emaciation, and debilitation at discharge was considered less probative due to lack of concrete evidence.
- Claimed conditions
- limitation of motion of the cervical spine, left shoulder from the residuals of a gunshot wound to the left back, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), pulmonary tuberculosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 27, 2017
- Citation
- 1729690
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 1729690.
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
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