The Board found that the Veteran's pulmonary embolism did not originate from his service-connected right leg fracture and is less likely caused by or aggravated by this condition.
The deciding factor: Medical opinions provided in June 2011 and December 2016 established that the pulmonary embolism was more likely related to risk factors unrelated to the Veteran's service-connected disability, such as smoking and uncontrolled diabetes.
- Claimed conditions
- blood clots in the lungs, pulmonary embolism
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 25, 2017
- Citation
- 1741941
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 1741941.
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 Board has granted service connection for pulmonary embolism as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected status post spigelian herniorrhaphy, finding that the surgery increased her risk of developing a pulmonary embolism.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for deep vein thrombosis (DVT), including blood clots in bilateral calves, and blood clots in the lungs as there is no persuasive evidence linking these conditions to active service.
- Granted
The Veteran's pulmonary disability is directly related to his active service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to a duty-to-assist error regarding the Veteran's exposure to asbestos and Agent Orange during service. The claims are now pending for further development.
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