The Board has remanded the case for additional development regarding potential causes of death, including whether service-connected left knee disability and nonservice-connected coronary artery disease and hypertension were principal or contributory causes of death. The examiner is requested to provide an opinion on these issues.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner was asked to determine if any medications used by the Veteran for his service-connected left knee disability, including NSAIDs, contributed to his death from gastrointestinal bleeding. Additionally, the examiner should have provided opinions regarding whether coronary artery disease and hypertension were principal or contributory causes of death.
- Claimed conditions
- Gastrointestinal bleeding, Anemia, Peptic ulcer disease, Cirrhosis of the liver
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 19, 2017
- Citation
- 1746840
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 1746840.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the claim for service connection for cause of death, finding that there is no evidence to support a causal relationship between the Veteran's military service and his death from gastrointestinal bleeding and hypertensive cardiovascular disease.
- Granted
The Veteran's hemorrhoids were rated at 20 percent from June 13, 2011. The Board found that the evidence demonstrated persistent bleeding and anemia secondary to the hemorrhoids throughout this period.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for service connection for Hepatitis C and Cirrhosis of the liver were dismissed due to procedural deficiencies. The claims of entitlement to service connection for arrhythmia, chronic kidney disease, and bilateral lower extremity non-diabetic peripheral neuropathy are remanded.
- Granted
The Veteran's effective date for SMC based on the need for regular aid and attendance is set to March 11, 2021. He was granted a higher level of SMC under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(p) at level (n).
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