The Board has determined that none of the service-connected conditions contributed to the Veteran's cause of death, and thus denied the claim for service connection for the cause of death.
The deciding factor: The medical expert concluded that the service-connected restrictive lung disease was not a contributory cause to the Veteran's death. The examiner noted that histoplasmosis and restrictive lung disease are not contributory factors in developing adenocarcinoma (a form of cancer) of the lung, which was the immediate cause of death.
- Claimed conditions
- restrictive lung disease, anxiety neurosis, degenerative changes of the lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 5, 2017
- Citation
- 1744348
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1744348.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy, which is secondary to her degenerative changes of the lumbar spine, has been remanded due to a duty-to-assist error. The Board found that VA did not obtain private medical records from Hiro Chiropractic and Springfield Family Physicians, who treated the Veteran during the period on appeal.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for specially adapted housing is remanded due to a lack of a VA examination, which was a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The Board must now schedule the Veteran for an examination to determine if his service-connected asthma with restrictive lung disease and chronic hypoxic respiratory failure qualifies him for specially adapted housing.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The appeal for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is dismissed as moot because the Veteran's service-connected disabilities resulted in a combined schedular evaluation of at least 70% prior to October 15, 2024, and he was able to maintain employment despite his conditions.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death was not related to his service-connected disabilities and thus denied DIC benefits. The claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death is remanded due to a lack of a medical opinion regarding the etiology.
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