The Board has determined that the Veteran's cause of death, aspiration pneumonia with acute myocardial infarction due to coronary artery disease and aortic stenosis, was not caused or contributed substantially or materially by any service-connected disability. The VA examiner concluded it is less likely as not that the Veteran's shrapnel wounds or lung problems were related to his aspiration pneumonia.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found no direct link between the Veteran's service-connected conditions and his cause of death, concluding the relationship was less than likely.
- Claimed conditions
- aspiration pneumonia, acute myocardial infarction due to coronary artery disease and aortic stenosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 18, 2017
- Citation
- 1746350
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 1746350.
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 remanded the case due to a lack of evidence regarding the Veteran's service in Guam or American Samoa, which could affect his presumptive service connection based on herbicide exposure under the PACT Act.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have precluded him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment since March 30, 2020. The Board has granted a TDIU for this period.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that the cause was not related to active service or any incident of service.
- Denied
The Veteran's claimed conditions, including aspiration pneumonia, loss of balance, genital infection, rash and/or itching, and bladder and bowel control issues, are not considered to be caused by VA treatment or lack thereof. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions were increased as a result of VA care.
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